Dreaming
by Jacey Lane
Summary: Lily is a lonesome witch with an incredible gift that she knows nothing about. With no one to talk to and being constantly plagued by dreams, Lily somehow comes across James Potter, who, in a similar time of loneliness, befriends her. Their story. AU.
1. 1 Meeting Lily

Chapter 1  
  
A/N: Hey hey. Ok, here goes. This is my first fanfic, so please don't kill me for any mistakes and gimme a chance. I don't know how long it'll be, but I hope it'll be good. Of course, that's not for me to decide, is it? So go on, and read it! I think it's good, but you're entitled to you own opinion…  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Everything else, including the plot, is mine.

_**Dream Sequence**_  
  
_The buildings were burning. Chaos reined as people ran, in no particular direction away from the town. No one knew what had happened, or why the hardware store had suddenly burst into flame. There had been no explosion, and there had been no strangers through the small town for many weeks. Only one person knew the truth, and she was dead, having been trapped inside the burning building. No one saw the shadow, blacker than the blackest night, detach itself from an out-of the way building and head towards the nearby forest.  
  
If you had been close enough to see it, you would have seen a darkly handsome face beneath the pitch-black hood. If you had been close enough, you would have heard soft, cold, malicious laughter coming from beneath that hood. If you had been close enough, you would have seen him walk silently into the shadow of a tall oak tree, where his form seemed blacker than the tree's own. And then you would have seen. . .nothing. Just shadows dancing on the wind. And still, the flames of the town roared ever higher, flickering across the hazy, starry sky.  
_  
_**End Dream Sequence**_  
  
Lily Evans sat straight up in her bed, sweating and shaking terribly. The sound of people screaming and a cold laugh filled her mind. She tried to forget it and go back to sleep, but it took her about 15 minutes to figure out it was useless. Not wanting to listen to the other girls sleep in the dark dorm room, she grabbed her bath- robe and slipped silently down the stairs to the common room.   
  
The fire had died down almost completely, but the embers still gave off a small red glow. The eerie light cast looming shadows around the room, but the silence was comforting. Since no one was there, Lily sat in the armchair closest to the fireplace. Leaning forward slightly, with her elbows on her knees, she sat and thought, not making a sound.   
  
That laugh was still in her mind, so she decided that thinking about the dream wasn't going to help. To get her mind off of it, she started thinking about her life.   
  
At home, things were not so good. Her parents were fighting more and more often now, and her sister was becoming ever more distant, especially since she had started dating Vernon Dursley. Things had been changing, and not for the better. She always went home for the holidays, but each time, she looked forward to going back to school. And this was saying something.  
  
At school, no one knew her. She was the top of every class, except for Transfiguration, where somehow James Potter, leader of the Marauders, managed to stay a step ahead of her. Her favorite place at Hogwarts was _not_ the Library, contrary to popular belief, but the huge rock on the shore of the Lake, on the far side. The library came second. She was Head Girl, in seventh year, and stayed away from the common room and her dorm. She didn't like people and people didn't like her. The feeling was mutual.   
  
Lily had fiery copper hair that fell in soft curls around her shoulders. Her eyes were a bright emerald green, which sparkled when she read a good book, were dull when she was sad, and misty when she was thinking. She was about 5'7", with long slender legs, and a perfectly shaped body. If anyone bothered to actually look at her, they would see a very beautiful young woman. Of course, there was always the downside: No one cared to look.   
  
"Ouch!" someone said in a loud whisper, "That was my FOOT, Peter!" Someone replied, in a much softer whisper, "Sorry James. My bad." Another two people were snickering in the background. _Great. Just whom I need. It was so peaceful, too,_ Lily thought. It was none other than the famous, extremely popular James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The ever-so-humble Marauders.   
  
"So, it's purple hair with green polka-dots, Muggle dresses, and high pitched voices. When they walk into the Great Hall, they'll run up to Professor Kay and say, 'we love you, Professor! Marry me!' Oh, this is going to be good." That had to be Sirius. "Right. Now, shut up, so we don't get caught," shushed Remus. They were facing the fireplace, and the back of the chair that Lily was sitting in was facing them, so they couldn't see her. She didn't move.  
  
When they passed the armchair Lily was sitting in, James froze. He was the one closest to her, and he hadn't known that there was someone in here. Obviously. Motioning for the others to stop and look, they fell silent. Lily noticed, since the Marauders were _never_ quiet.   
  
Glancing up at them, she said, "Don't let me ruin your fun. And, I'm not taking points away, since James would give them right back." James had somehow been chosen to be Head Boy. "Go on. I'm going back up to the dorm," she said quietly. Standing, she looked once more into the fire, and a frown creased her face. Her eyes took on a frightened look for a split second, before it vanished. Then she sighed, turned, and walked back up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.   
  
The guys hadn't moved. When they got over the shock of seeing Evans, they proceeded out of the common room to the kitchens, where they commenced with their prank.Lily went up to her room, but she didn't go back to sleep, not for a while yet. She couldn't. She was too scared. _Well, I'm going to be sleeping through classes tomorrow, but oh well_. And to make matters worse, she knew that no one cared. Thinking about how in- sync the Marauders, minus Peter, who was always a klutz, were with each other made her heart sink down to about her toes. She had no one. Not a single person in all of Hogwarts talked to her. Her parents were to busy fighting to pay much attention to her. Petunia was never around anymore.  
  
She had no one, and it hurt so much.  
  
There was no use fighting the tears. It was a constant battle, one that she could never seem to win. A single tear slipped down her cheek, unbidden, followed by another, and another, until it was all she could do to hold back the loud sobs that ached to be let loose. Burying her face in her pillow and pulling the blankets up over her head, Lily Evans cried herself to sleep. 

Groggily, Lily untangled her long legs from her bed sheets and got up. Looking out the window, she saw little in the dim light of false dawn. Glancing at her clock, she saw it was 6:00. _Cool. Early enough for me to go out to my rock and think_. Grabbing her robes, she took a 10- minute shower, and did her usual morning routine. Shower, make the bed, pack the bag, and, most importantly, leave. Before anyone else got up. By 6:30, Lily was pulling on her cloak, which was very special to her, and slipping downstairs, out the common room, and proceeding to walk to her rock.   
  
As she walked Lily fingered the hem of her cloak. It was very pretty and mysterious, like her. The cloth was soft and, when moved, changed from green, to purple, to teal, and back to the original navy blue. It was embroidered with silver stars and moons, and the hood was deep, covering her entire head and her face. The real reason she loved it was not that it made her look like an angel, but that it was a gift from her grandmother, who had passed on 6 years ago. When she had given it to Lily on her 11th birthday, a note had been attached to it. _Your grandfather gave this to me when we were married. He said 'It makes me think of how lucky I am to have you, my Lillian. It's special, if only because I love you.' My dearest granddaughter, I know life gets hard, but don't ever think it's not worth living. I love you. Don't ever forget that._ Three days later, Lily was notified that her grandmamma had passed, peacefully, in her sleep.   
  
By now, Lily had reached her rock, and was presently climbing up. Lying down on her stomach, she stared into the clear, still depths of the lake. Fingering the hem of her hood, she realized that the note her grandmamma had left her was the only reason she was still here today. She had considered, seriously, committing suicide so many times. _Life gets hard, but don't ever think that it's not worth living. . ._ That sentence was Lily's lifeline. And she needed it now, more than ever. Her loneliness seemed more pronounced, and the dream was not helping.   
  
Somehow, it seemed that her dream was more than just a dream. It felt so real. Whenever she woke up, it was hard to discern dream from reality. The screams of the burning woman and the cold laughter echoed in her mind. _Why do I feel like that's not all? What if I haven't dreamed the whole dream? It's so confusing! Dreams are supposed to mean something, but I dunno. . . Div. is usually a load of bull anyway_, she thought.   
  
Shrugging off the feeling that there was more to this than she saw, she looked at her watch. It read 7:15. Excellent timing. She could walk up to the castle taking as much time as she wanted. Didn't matter anyways, since no one gave a damn about her. Sliding down to the ground, Lily walked back to the castle slowly, dreading another day of walking in the shadows, being completely ignored again. The bad thing was, she dreaded the coming of night even more. It seemed like she could never win.   
  
But it had to be worth something. She had to have some purpose in life, if God had put her there. The question was, did God exist? Lily couldn't answer that question. All she knew was that if she killed herself, she wouldn't be honoring her grandmamma's memory. And that was the last thing she wanted to do.

When James woke up the next morning, the first thing he saw was his clock. The first thing out of his mouth that day was, "Holy shit!! You guys, wake up! We're going to miss it if you don't GET UP!!!!!" Peter and Remus jumped out of bed, cursing and tripping on their way to the bathroom. Sirius, however, just rolled over, and muttered something unintelligible. "Damn it, Sirius, get up!" James yelled in his friend's ear. No response. "Well then," James said, to himself, "drastic times call for drastic measures, as they say." Walking to the other side of Sirius' bed, he tipped his best bud out of it, where Sirius landed with a thump unceremoniously in a tangle of bed sheets. "JAMES POTTER!!!! WHY THE HELL'D YOU HAVE TO WAKE ME UP??!!" Sirius demanded from the floor. "Because, Padfoot," James replied calmly. "It's 7:15. Now, do me a favor: GET UP!!!"   
  
This seemed to have gotten the attention of the floor- bound seventeen-year old. "7:15??!! Holy hell, we're going to miss breakfast! NOOOO!!!" Sirius shouted. "GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM, MOONY!!!" he yelled, banging on the door. "All right, all right. God forbid you miss breakfast, Padfoot. The world would come to an end," Remus muttered, but never- the- less vacating the bathroom.  
  
Mean while, James had gotten dressed and was waiting on the rest of his friends. Sitting on the window seat, he was staring absently out the window at the lake. Something moving caught his eye. From his angle, it looked like the top of a cloaked figure. In the dawn light, the cloak seemed to shimmer. _That's weird. I wonder who it could be?_ he thought. But before he could ponder more on this strange, almost unearthly person, Sirius started yelling again. "PRONGS, HURRY UP!! BREAKFAST, BREAKFAST, BREAKFAST!!!!!!" Sirius yelled in a sing- song voice. "I'm coming Sirius. Just shut up, ok? It's too early for your yelling." James replied with a sigh. They left the Gryffindor Tower together, and headed down to the Great Hall, where Sirius's life- calling awaited him. Lily walked into the Entrance hall just as the Marauders reached it. Pulling off her cloak and folding it neatly, she observed them, something she often did to people. Sirius, shoulder length dark brown hair pulled back, dark eyes excited, was practically running towards the Great Hall. Remus and Peter walked in a companiable silence, which she felt a pang of jealousy for before suppressing it, side by side. Remus' intelligent bright blue eyes were sleepy, and his sandy blonde hair still damp from a shower. Peter's baby blue eyes were hardly open, he looked so tired, and his light brown hair was still mussed from sleep. _Must have stayed up late last night with their prank, she thought amusedly. Speaking of which, that should be entertaining. . ._ Her gaze traveled to the last of the group. James was walking slowly, a little behind Peter and Remus, and looked thoughtful. His jet-black locks were as untidy as ever, and he didn't seem too tired. The grey eyes behind those round glasses, the same ones that had stolen the hearts of 99.9% of Hogwart's female population, were turned downward in thought. _Damn, thought Lily, he looks good when he's thinking! HOLD UP!!! Where'd that come from?? Whatever. . .  
_  
James felt as if he was being watched. Glancing up, he scanned the Entrance Hall. Sirius was long in the Great Hall stuffing himself; Remus and Peter were silent, about to pass through the wooden doors, not looking at him. _Ah. Found it. Or should I say, her._ It was Lily. She was standing perfectly still, looking at him. She was holding a dark bundle, and her bag was slung over her shoulder. When he met her gaze, she didn't flinch, or blush, or start giggling. She just stared straight back, her eyes misty and questioning. Flashing her a brief smile, he continued toward the Great Hall after his friends. _Wonder what she had in her hands? Wait! She looked like she had just stepped inside…could it have been her? The thing she was holding was probably the cloak. Well, at least I won't have to wonder all day_. Those were his thoughts as he sat down next to Sirius, who was currently consuming everything he could reach. "Slow down Sirius, and turn your attention, subtly, to the doors," James said to him.  
  
As James started eating, just as much as Sirius, but not nearly as fast, he noticed Snape and Malfoy hadn't joined the Slytherins' yet. Good. We didn't miss it, he thought. At that moment, the doors opened and Lily walked in. A trace of a smile played on the corners of her lips. She headed toward the end of the table, where no one was sitting. _Wait a minute. Doesn't she sit with anyone?_ He continued to watch her, waiting for someone to walk over and sit down next to her, but he waited in vain. The small smile that had graced her features upon entering the hall was gone. Her emerald eyes had gone dull, and she was frowning, staring at her plate, but not eating anything. _Weird. . ._ he thought, but then he was distracted, because the infamous duo had just entered.  
  
Snape's greasy hair was purple with green polka- dots, and Malfoy's normally platinum blonde hair was now puke- green with fuchsia streaks. Both were wearing muggle dresses with lots of lace and 3- inch heals. When they walked in, their eyes fell on Professor Kay, the potions teacher and Head of Slytherin House. The two started racing, in 3- inch heals, towards her, both yelling, "I love you! I love you! Marry me, please!!!" Professor Kay went white, and then flushed a dark red, both from anger and embarrassment. Acting fast, Professor MacGonagall lifted the spells, and both boys stopped in their tracks, and bolted to the Slytherin table. The whole Hall, with the exception of a few, was ringing with laughter. "20 points from Slytherin!" Professor Kay shouted, and then glared at the Marauders. Everyone knew they'd done it, but there was no proof. Lucius and Severus were thoroughly embarrassed, which meant only one thing: mission accomplished.  
  
As the laughter died down, everyone headed off to classes. Coincidentally, the Marauders and Lily had Transfiguration together first period. Yay for her. It didn't matter to them. Well, it didn't matter to ¾ of them. James wanted to know why she hadn't sat with anyone. Finally prying himself away from his latest girlfriend, who was some gorgeous blonde bimbo by the name of Kimberly Andrews, he caught up with her in the hallway heading to class. Touching her on the arm, he asked quietly, "Lily, why didn't you sit with anyone at breakfast this morning?" Startled that someone was speaking to her, it took her a second to process the question. However, she didn't answer it. Not directly, at least.   
  
"You've got your question wrong, Potter. It's not 'why didn't you sit with anyone' it's 'why doesn't anyone ever sit with you'." Lily said quietly and calmly. Looking him straight in the eye, she told him, "No one ever sits with me, James. It's taken you seven years to notice that? And even so, why do you care? No one ever has before." If he couldn't see her eyes, he would have thought it didn't bother her. But he _could _see her eyes, and they betrayed the pain she felt right then. He felt sympathy for her. He knew how it felt to be lonely. He felt it a lot… "I don't want your pity, James. I really don't need it," she said quietly. Then, she took one last look at him, and walked into the classroom, leaving him to think. About her.   
  
He knew he couldn't do anything. And even if he could, he wouldn't. Pity and sympathy are really annoying when you feel like the world hates you, because the people offering you those emotions just don't understand. It's degrading and very irksome. All you want is time. So he would give it to her. What he didn't know was that she'd had time. Seven years of it. And now, all she wanted was someone who'd listen, and understand. If only he knew. . .   
  
Ok, there you have it! The first chapter of 'Dreaming'. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!! Please?? A years worth of chocolate if you do. Thanx. Now, click the little blue button at the bottom that says 'Go'!!! 


	2. 2 A Night of Tears and Healing

Chapter 2  
  
A/N: I'm back, with chapter 2! Ok, I hope you all liked the first chapter, and I hope this one meets your expectations. So, without further ado, I will ask you to plow your way through the disclaimer and read!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not lay claim to anything that belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own the plot; I own any characters you haven't seen before. Right. Anyways…  
  
~Dream Sequence~  
  
The room was dark, but not dark enough that you couldn't see anything, for the open window let the full moon's light in. A young woman with dark hair and grey eyes behind closed lids was sleeping peacefully, with a tiny bundle nestled in the crook of her arm. The woman had dark circles under her eyes, but her delivery was over, and she could rest. Just then, the door opened silently, and a tall man entered, blonde hair silvery in the moonlight, blue eyes soft, compassionate, and deeply sad.   
  
Walking over to the bed where the sleeping figures lay, he knelt and reached out to the bundle. Moving the blanket ever so slightly, just enough so he could see the babe's face, he stared at the new- born boy. Slowly, his gaze drifted to the sleeping woman. Sighing softly, the man said, "I have to leave now, my love. I don't have a choice. If I stay, he'll surely come after you, and if I leave, it doesn't increase you're chance of survival by much." The grief in the young man's eyes was something you shouldn't have seen in someone his age. "I only want what's best for you. Losing you is more than I could bear, and now we have a son to protect. We are not strong enough to fight him, but I will do what I can." Reaching into his breast pocket, he pulled out a necklace. It was a lion, pure gold with a ruby mane and eyes. "This is my gift to you, my son. Professor Rikaya gave it to me when I last saw her. She said, 'it belongs to Racheal's family. How it got away from them is something we'll never know. Rightfully, it is her firstborn's.' So I give it to you now. I don't know what it is for, but it's yours, and I feel that it'll protect you." Running a long finger down the boy's innocent face, a single tear slipped down the man's face. He didn't want to let his son go. But there was no other way.  
  
With the amulet clasped firmly about his son's neck, he turned to his beloved. "I don't know how I'm going to do this. I love you so much, but your life is in danger." Stroking her cheek, his tears came faster. "Don't forget that I love you. That is the most important thing." She stirred, but didn't wake. He pulled a long stemmed white rose, seemingly out of thin air, and laid it on her bedside table. Pulling out an envelope from his bag, he put the letter explaining everything beside the rose. Kissing the corner of his wife's mouth, and his son's tiny forehead, he stood.   
  
As he started to walk out of the room, he stopped and remembered something. Turning, he walked back to the table, opened its drawer, and grabbed the musical water globe inside. Winding it up, he watched as a seedling seemed to sprout, and then grew, until a white rose, identical to the one he'd left the woman, floated in the water. Giving his family one last look, he turned and walked out. Before closing the door, he looked back, just once.   
  
"Good-bye Racheal. Good-bye Leon. I love you both" And he left.  
  
~ End Dream Sequence~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Gasping, Lily woke up. Her cheeks felt cold. Reaching up to touch them, she realized they were wet with tears. She felt a grief so intense and so real it scared her. Not wanting to experience anything new tonight, and knowing she would if she went back to sleep, Lily decided anything would be better than this. And that included getting caught by Filch in the dead of night, wondering Hogwart's corridors.  
  
Dressing, quickly and silently, and grabbing her cloak, she headed downstairs. Knowing her feet would lead her, not her mind, she tried to clear her thoughts. Trying to think about something happy wasn't working. Basically because she had nothing happy to think about. So, her thoughts drifted to her dream. *Who were they? Why did he have to leave? Why, in the name of all that is good, am I having these sleep-depriving dreams??*, she thought. It was confusing. The dream had meaning. It was more than just a dream, of that she was certain. Why else would she wake up grieving so badly it was almost a physical pain? The question was what would she do about it?  
  
Her feet stopped. She was at the foot of the Astronomy Tower. *This is good. Unless there's someone having a private snogging session, this'll be a good place to think*, she thought. She started climbing. It was amazing how time went by when everything was so still and peaceful. When she got to the top, she leaned against the railing and just absorbed the scenery. The sickle moon gave off a small amount of silvery light. The stars above seemed brighter, and twinkled mischievously, as if they knew something she didn't. The lake was a reflection of the sky, and the forest seemed more haunted than usual. All in all, it was breathtaking.  
  
A noise startled Lily out of her reverie. It sounded like a gasp. Turning sharply, she scanned the balcony. "Who's there?" she whispered, fearfully. No response. Breathing deeply, she began to turn back around, when right before her eyes', the last person she expected to see appeared out of no- where.   
  
"James!" she gasped, almost falling with fright. "What…how…where did you come from??" She asked frantically.  
  
"Relax, Lily," he replied amusedly. "It's just an Invisibility Cloak."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
James' POV:  
  
I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about my mother. Throwing the covers back, I gave up. After trying for five hours and getting nowhere, I decided it was useless. It was another one of those nights. Dressing and snatching the Invisibility Cloak from its place in my trunk, I left the Tower, and headed to the place I always went when I couldn't sleep.   
  
The Astronomy Tower.  
  
I had always felt guilty about my mother's death. I mean, she had died while giving birth to me. When I told dad about my feelings, he said I was totally wrong and it wasn't my fault, but it didn't help much. Dad misses her; I can see it whenever he glances at a picture of her. I love my dad, and to see him in so much pain and loss make the feeling of guilt all the more pronounced.   
  
I had reached the base of the Tower. Wondering fleetingly about what I would do if anyone were up there snogging, I quickly came up with a plan.~You're invisible,  
  
James. Spooking them is the easiest and most entertaining way to get them away. Duh.~ I climbed slowly, still thinking about mother. The pictures I had seen of her showed she was beautiful. I had inherited her amazingly grey eyes. The only other thing I had of her was the amulet she had given me when I was born. That was it.  
  
Finally reaching the top, I realized I was not alone. Only, the person wasn't there with someone, but doing the same thing I was. Thinking. How she couldn't be here *with* someone was beyond me, because she was nothing short of beautiful. Red hair shimmered in what little moon-and-starlight there was. Emerald eyes were misty and distant, looking up at the sky. She was wearing a beautiful cloak, with stars and moons embroidered all over it. The cloth looked soft and warm. When I realized who it was, I couldn't help but gasp in shock.  
  
For who could have known Lily Evans could look like a fallen angel?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Present, Third Person  
  
"James Potter, you scared the life out of me!" she hissed. ~Or, you scared what's left of it away. . .~ she thought.  
  
He actually looked guilty. "Sorry Lily. I always come up here wearing the invisibility cloak. If anyone else but you had been up here, I would have scared them off," he said to her. ~Should I feel special?~, she thought sarcastically, but didn't say anything. He had started to look out over the grounds, and saw the exact same thing she had. However, when he turned to her and spoke, it was not about the scenery.  
  
"So. Lily," he started. "What brings you up here?" As usual, he didn't hesitate to ask.  
  
"I could ask you the same question," she replied coolly, not wanting to tell him of her dreams.   
  
"That's a fair response," James observed. "I-," but he was cut off, because they both heard the last thing either of them wanted to hear: Filch coming up the stairs.  
  
"Oh no, oh no, oh no. . ." Lily started panicking. James, however, being the Marauder that he was, acted calmly and fast. He pulled Lily after him into a corner, and threw the invisibility cloak over both of them. Since Lily couldn't seem to contain her 'oh no's', he clamped a hand over her mouth. Bringing his lips close to her ear, he whispered, "Shhhhh. . ." and then was still.  
  
Filch was staring around the balcony, muttering, "I know you're here. . . come on out," and so forth. Lily hardly dared to breath. Which wasn't too hard, since James's hand was cutting off half of her oxygen supply. Breathing slowly, and she hoped quietly, through her nose, she caught the scent of after- shave and shampoo that came from James. He was close. . . too close. ~God, hurry up and leave already, Filch!! I'm getting comfortable. . .~, she thought. She did *not* want to get comfortable, not in this position.   
  
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Filch turned to leave. When he was out of eyesight, Lily started to move. James tightened his grip on her, and whispered, so close to her ear she could feel his lips, "Shhhh. . . he's not gone yet." He caught the scent of her hair, which was a mixture of herbs, and her lips were soft against his hand. ~Whoa, James. Don't get caught in the moment~, he thought. After waiting another five minutes, James lifted his hand from her mouth, and she sucked in a grateful breath. Putting a finger to his lips, he motioned her to stay still. Checking every corner, he made sure Filch was gone.   
  
"Ok. Well, now that he's gone, you can stop panicking, Lily," he told her teasingly. "He's gone. Trust me," he said again when she shot him a skeptical look. Since she had no other choice, she did the only thing that made since to her: lean against the rail and think some more. ~Wonder why he's up here. . .~, she thought.  
  
James had walked to the opposite side of the tower and was gazing distantly at nothing in particular. Just going over everything his dad had ever told him about his mother. ~She was beautiful~, he had said once. ~When she walked into the room, it felt like everything would be ok, even if it were just for a moment. She was so loving. . . I know she loves you so much, wherever she is right now.~ That had been when James had figured out that his dad refused to believe death was complete annihilation. It had rubbed off on James, too. Whenever he came out here to think, about anything, he would always look up at the sky. Every time he did, one star alone would catch his eye. It wasn't a big star, but it was always shining and always there, no matter what the season. He felt that this star was his mother's soul must've looked like, always there, always giving off warmth and love. ~Help me, mother~, he pleaded silently. ~Everything seems to be changing, and I can't find anything different~. Except that he was up in the Astronomy Tower, with Lily. That was new.   
  
She had been completely silent since Filch had left. Glancing at her, he saw that she was staring in the general direction of the lake. "So. . .do you wanna talk?" he asked. She jumped slightly. "Oops. I forgot you were there. . . Sure, we can talk. But about what, exactly?" she asked in turn.   
  
"Oh, I dunno, anything that seems reasonable and is safe," he answered. "Ok. . ." Lily started but didn't finish. What could *they* talk about? Come on, it was *James* and *Lily*. The two had never talked. . . Guess there's a first time for everything.  
  
Racking her brain for a topic, Lily decided to settle on the obvious. "What are you doing up here?" she asked. Sound familiar?  
  
Grinning at her, he said, mockingly, "I could ask you the same question."   
  
Still serious as ever, she told him, "I'm not sure I could tell you why I'm up here. For two reasons." Once more, James noticed the sad expression flit across her face. "Firstly," she continued, "I'm not too sure I can trust you. Second, I don't understand what's happening to me anymore than the next person." Well. That sounded reasonable.   
  
"Ok. Could you at least give me the tiniest answer? You can make it as vague as you want. I promise not to ask questions," James tried. She gave him a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes by a long shot. "Persistent, aren't you?" she told him, and smiled a little wider as he nodded his head vigorously, appearing eager for an answer. "I dream. A lot. Really, *really*, weird dreams." And that was all she gave him.   
  
~Way to kill my curiosity, Lily~, he thought sarcastically. ~Now I really want to know why you're up here.~ But he had promised, and he knew she wouldn't tell him anyway. So, he just continued the convo. "I couldn't sleep," he started. "I was thinking about. . . my mother." Unlike her, he trusted her, despite the fact that he hardly knew her and didn't know why. ~After all~, he rationalized, ~who's she going to tell anyway? She told me herself no one talked to her.~   
  
"What about your mother?" she prompted gently. James sighed and slid to the floor. "She died when I was born. More to the point, she died giving birth to me." Dejectedly, he told her his story, short though it was. "The only thing I have of her are her eyes and an amulet she gave me as soon as I was born. I feel guilty about it, and about the pain her death caused my dad. He and I are really close, because we don't have anyone else, not family-wise. Seeing him hurt whenever he looks at a picture of her kills me. I always think, 'if I'd never been born, he would still be happy.' My life's not all it's cracked up to be, though very few people know or understand that. I never knew my own mother. Dad says she loved me, and I believe him, but it doesn't change the fact that she's gone." He was trying awfully hard not to cry in front of Lily.  
  
"Have you ever cried for her? Willingly?" she asked, so quietly he almost missed it. Thinking, he said, "No. . .I don't think I have." She was surprised, because he obviously ached for his mother, but she didn't say anything, except for, "Then cry, James. Grieving helps, and she wouldn't want you to dwell on it forever. If she loved you, she'd want you to live your life to the fullest." At that, the dam he'd built to stop the pain broke. Sobs ripped themselves from his chest as he thought about what might have been, what should have been. Lily laid a comforting hand on his shoulder as he let it all go, but she was caught up in her on memories.  
  
His 'story' reminded her of how she felt when her grandmamma had died. Lost, guilty, and so sad. She probably would've done what he had done: shut it all out, block out all the pain. But she couldn't. Maybe it was because she hadn't had anyone to comfort her. He did. And he probably didn't even know how lucky he was. So, she decided to inform him, and see what he thought.  
  
"You're lucky, you know," she started, not looking at him. "You know that she loved you. You've got your dad, and you've got great friends who will stick to your side like flies, even when you don't want them. Don't take it for granted, James. I wish I had what you have. It would've made it so much easier." He had stopped crying by now and was looking intently at her.   
  
"Made what so much easier?" he asked. She glanced at him, and saw something that shocked her. His tear-streaked face was lit by what little light they had. His featured were thrown into shadow, and he looked both handsome and vulnerable at the same time. It made her knees go weak. . . ~No~, she told herself. ~It's nothing.~ Shaking off the weird mood, she stood. Walking over to the railing, she told him, "The death of my grandmamma."  
  
"Wanna tell me about it?" James asked quietly. "Why not?" Lily said forcefully, grief making her temper sharp. "It happened 6 years ago." Realizing what she said, she winced. ~That was totally uncalled for, and you know it!~, she chastised herself.  
  
"That makes no difference. We both know that." Obviously, James hadn't taken her remark personally. Knowing he was right, and that she owed him something for spilling his guts to her, she started, haltingly. "It. . . it was somewhere around the time I had gotten my letter, and found out I was a witch. My parents' relationship had become very. . .unstable. My sister, who was sixteen at the time, had just started dating this guy named Vernon Dursley, and wasn't seen at home much. I. . .I started to feel left out, and lonely, but. . . but she was always there. I know it sounds cheesy, but she made me chocolate chip cookies, and told me stories about herself, and old tales, and went shopping with me. I was. . . free around her. Her house was more home than my parents' place would or ever will be. " Lily was starting to cry now, forcing the words through her constricted throat. "She. . . she gave me this cloak. . . for my 11th birthday." She was crying her heart out now. "Three days. . . after that, I was told that. . . that she had died." Collapsing onto the floor, she pulled the cloak around her tighter. "My only. . . solace was gone. My parents' relationship had gotten. . . so bad that . . . that they had to go into marriage counseling. Petunia started bringing Vernon. . . home, and we hated each. . . each other from the beginning." James hadn't expected this, but he didn't stop her. Instead, he got up from where he had been sitting, and sat beside her. Hesitantly, he put his arms around her, praying she wouldn't push him away. She didn't.  
  
"School was no better. I was shy, and didn't make friends. . . easily, because trust had become. . . hard. When no one accepted me. . . I gave up. On. . .everything. What. . .what was the point? They didn't understand; they didn't want to. I. . . buried myself in my schoolwork, and. . .and here I am! Crying my eyes out because the one person who ever cared is gone!" And the tears flowed harder.   
  
~Oh my God! I had no idea. . . I can't believe no one has ever tried to get to know her! She's so compassionate, and caring, and strong. I couldn't have done that. . . I would've killed myself.~ This was what James was thinking as Lily sobbed into his chest. Pulling her closer, he stroked her hair comfortingly, and murmured to her that it would be all right. . .   
  
Eventually, she calmed down. When she had stopped crying, she didn't move, and he wasn't going to push her away. Not now. But, all good things must come to an end, or at least, that's what James thought. She pulled away, blushing, and muttered, "Thanks," before turning away. "Anytime. . . just let me know," he told her quietly. Startled, she turned to face him again. "What. . . what are you saying, James?" she asked cautiously.   
  
Smiling, James told her, "You've just helped me through one of the worst, and yet best, nights of my life. You helped me understand what my mother wanted for me, and how lucky I am. You showed me a side of me I didn't know I had. Do you honestly think I'm going to let you get away without my friendship? Think again." His smile turned into the grin that had melted 99.9% of the female population's hearts, as he said, "Lily Evans, you've just gained yourself a friend."  
  
To say the least, she was shocked. "You . . . you're not joking? This isn't some dare? You're serious?" James lost the grin, and he looked her in her eyes, those beautiful green eyes, and told her, "I don't joke about my mother, Lily. Not even *Sirius* could do what you've done for me. I mean it. I want to be your friend, Lily." ~Well~, Lily thought, her eyes lighting up for the first time in who-knows-how-long, ~when he puts it that way, I guess he is serious.~  
  
"All. . . all right." And she smiled at him, a true smile that reached her eyes. James couldn't help but suck in his breath. ~She's beautiful when she smiles. She really ought to do it more often.~ They lapsed into silence, but it was a comfortable one. Lily started singing. It was a song she sang often to herself, but she didn't know why. She guessed it just fit.   
  
~ There's a song that's inside of my soul   
  
It's the one that I've tried to write over  
  
And over again  
  
I'm awake in the infinite cold  
  
But you sing to me over and over again  
  
So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours   
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours   
  
And I know now, you're my only hope.  
  
Sing to me the song of the stars  
  
Of your galaxy laughing and laughing again  
  
When it feels like my dreams are so far  
  
Sing to me of the plans that you had for me  
  
Over again  
  
So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours   
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
And I know now, you're my only hope.  
  
I give you my destiny  
  
I'm giving you all of me  
  
I want your symphony  
  
Singing in all that I am  
  
At the top of my lungs  
  
I'm giving it back  
  
So I lay my head back down   
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours   
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
And I know now, you're my only hope ~  
  
James was stunned. That was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard in his life. "Lily, has anyone ever told you that you have an awesome voice?" He was still shocked that what he'd heard had come from a girl who was so troubled, and that the singer was human.   
  
She smiled sadly. "Yeah. My Grandmamma. I sang for her once, when she was sick." Her eyes were dull again, and it was driving him crazy.   
  
"Lily, as your friend, I'm taking it upon myself to make sure you smile more often, k?" he told her, walking up behind her. "What do you mean, James?" she asked, turning around. He grinned wickedly at her. "I mean, I'll do whatever it takes to make you happier than you are now." And with that, he started tickling her mercilessly. She squealed and tried to get away from him, but he was too strong. "James. . . James, stop it, please!" she begged him, laughing. Her sides were beginning to ache; she wasn't used to this.   
  
James heard her laughter, and thought it sounded like silver chimes in the wind. He sat down, pulling her with him, and she ended up in his lap. He was still tickling her, and was beginning to laugh at how hard she tried to get away from him. Stopping, he looked at her, and saw that her eyes were once again sparkling. "Good," he told her, smiling. "And I'll do it again if you get to depressing."   
  
For the first time in forever, Lily giggled. "I've never laughed so hard in my life," she told him. James stared at her like she was crazy. "Never *laughed* so hard?" he asked incredulously, while she nodded. "Well, Lily m'dear," he started, "If you're to be friends with a Marauder, that will have to change, wont it?" They both laughed.  
  
Just over the edge of the horizon, the sun started to come up. "Oh my gosh James!!" Lily said frantically. Looking at her watch, she said, "It's friggin 6:45! We've got to get back to the common room!"   
  
"Holy -! Come on!!" Grabbing her hand, James pulled Lily after him down the stairs. Remembering they weren't supposed to be there, he threw the Invisibility Cloak over them both, and they hurried off to their common room, and then to their respective dorms. Both were happier than either had been in a while, glad that they'd found a new friend in each other.   
  
  
  
All- righty, ppls! That was chapter 2! I'm halfway through with chapter 3, so it should be out in no less than 2 days. I hope this chapter was ok. . . If I'm going to fast, please let me know. Constructive criticism is welcomed, even asked for! This fic *isn't* love/hate, but I'm thinking of putting some deception in. I haven't decided yet.  
  
I don't own the song; Mandy Moore sings it, and as you probably already know, it's from 'A Walk To Remember'. I love that movie!  
  
A thank you to all my reviewers!! I can't believe some of you were so enthusiastic about it; thanx so much!!  
  
Angelina- Thanks!  
  
Hermione101888- Thank you, and I'll do my best to update often. I'm too greedy to share my chocolate. . . lol. Hope u liked the second chapter!   
  
MonkeyGurl1- Thank you!  
  
girlx()- thank you. About James's eyes. . . in this story, they're going to be grey, just because it fits. I hope you don't mind too much. And I know the spelling of 'grey' is wrong, but that's just how I am.  
  
SprtieBabe- Thank you! I needed that boost of confidence, and I hope I don't disappoint you.  
  
Little House Girl- Thank you, and I will!  
  
siri's girl()- A very enthusiastic response. . . thanks so much!! I have a habit of going into detail; it's how I get through my LA class. Chocolate is the BEST; I could definitely live off of it!!  
  
Grim Wolf- Thank you! Oh, btw, I like ur pen-name! 


	3. 3 She Needs Sleep

Chapter 3  
  
A/N: Hello ppls! OK, here's chapter 3. Don't have much to say, except: You know the drill, R n R!!!   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you might find in Harry Potter. Happy?  
  
~ Dream Sequence ~  
  
The darkness was complete. For about two seconds. "Lumos", someone muttered. From the feeble light emitted from the wand, you could just see that it was the young man who'd left his family behind. However, grief didn't control his features right now. Instead, fear was written in every line of his young face. A torch flared some feet in front of him. Then another, and another, until he was surrounded by the flickering firelight. The clearing they were standing in was now visible. A large rock was in the middle, and trees surrounded the large space. There was no moon.   
  
  
  
"Our master sends you his greetings, and heartfelt good-bye," one of the figures called out. Some of the fear dissipated then, as the man replied scathingly, "Then I guess I have nothing to worry about, for your slave-driver has no heart." Low chuckles came from the ring. "Brave words, for one who will be dead by morning." The first one said, "We have been instructed to make your death slow, and very painful." He laughed maliciously. "It will be our pleasure. Crucio!"   
  
  
  
The man fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. "You know, my friends, he shouldn't be allowed to move. It would be so much more painful. Petrificus Totalus!" The man stopped moving; his legs stuck tightly together, his arms at his sides, stiff as a board. The only way you could tell he was in pain was his eyes, which were shut tight.   
  
  
  
"Let's have some fun, boys." The first man lifted the Cruciatus (sp?) Curse, and stepped forward. "Nott, hold him, will you?" Smiling evilly, another man came forward and hauled the stiff body of Jonathon Carter to his feet, and braced him. The first punch was thrown, and connected solidly with Jonathon's jaw. The pain was increased because his jaw could not move. The beating commenced, but Jonathon did not faint. When it was over, the first man asked, "Sommers, will you do us the honors?" Nodding curtly, a third person stepped forward. "Crucio!!" she yelled. At the same time, Nott muttered the counter-curse for the body- bind. Immediately, screams filled the night air, then ceased as Jonathon finally lost his battle with himself, and lost consciousness.  
  
  
  
"We are finished here. There's no one to save him; he will not live. Leave him." They were right. Not a single good soul was anywhere near the area. Jonathon Carter spent a night slipping in and out of consciousness, and died as the sun was rising above the trees. "I'm sorry. . .," he managed, and then was gone.  
  
A lone wolf, half starved, trotted into the clearing. Sniffing the still form of the man, he licked his chops. . .  
  
~ End Dream Sequence ~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lily woke up, and managed to clap a hand over her mouth before she started screaming. The sheets were soaked; she was pouring sweat. Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks, and she shook so bad she had trouble getting out of her bed. Without even grabbing her robe, she ran downstairs to the common room.   
  
Sitting in that same chair, she rocked back and forth, her knees drawn up to her chest. The sobs ripped from her chest, and the terror in her heart did not go away. She could still picture the wolf, and the blood. . . She could still feel his pain, and his guilt, and mostly, his release as he died. The tears flowed faster.   
  
Eventually, they died off, but she did not go to sleep. Fear kept her up for the rest of the night, shaking and rocking back and forth, staring at the fireplace, where the fire dwindled until it was gone. When the first light of day came, she stumbled back up to her dorm and got ready for the day. She was ready before anyone else got up.   
  
Back down in the common room, she did her best to collect herself. Controlling the fear she still felt, she stopped shaking, and managed to look like she normally did. Who'd notice anyway? ~James might. . .~ she admitted to herself. Trying to act normal, she waited until people started coming down the staircases, and then headed to breakfast.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
James *did* notice. Her first surprise that morning was that he had come down to breakfast by himself. And before Sirius. Her second surprise came when he sat down across from her. "Ummm. . . James, people can see," she stated matter-of-factly. "So?" he replied. "Lils, what's wrong? You've been crying." She had a hard time getting over the fact that he *did* notice. "I'm really not used to this. . ." she muttered. "It was nothing James," she finished, looking resolutely at her plate. He snorted. "Nice try Lils. It's never *nothing* if you've been crying, and since you didn't deny that obvious fact, I'm convinced I'm right." Reaching across the table, he placed a gentle finger under her chin and made her look at him. "You can tell me, Lily. That's what I'm here for." ~I have to tell someone, or else I might go crazy! ~ she screamed to herself. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to tell him. . .  
  
  
  
"James! Why didn't you wait for us?" It was Sirius. "You weren't late- wait." He stopped, with Remus and Peter right behind him. "Am I missing something here?" he questioned, looking from Lily to James, perplexed. "I'm not finished with you, Lily Evans," James muttered so only she could hear. Turning to face Sirius, he plastered a look so innocent it wouldn't fool a troll on his face and told him, "Padfoot, ol' buddy, I've been telling you for *years* you've been missing a human brain, but you haven't listened to me-," He was cut off because Sirius had smacked him up-side the head. "Seriously, Prongs, when did *this* happen?" he asked, gesturing to Lily, who was blushing to the roots of her fiery hair, staring at her plate. "Way to be subtle, Sirius," Remus commented dryly. "Moony's got a point, Siri. Have you no respect for Lily's feelings?" James turned back to Lily. "Lils, relax. Sirius has never had any tact; it's all charm. Anything more, and you should be scared." When she didn't look up, he said, in a mock-stern voice, "If you don't smile, I might have to resort to something drastic. Remember, we *are* in the Great Hall; it might be embarrassing." Dropping the voice, he grinned out-right at her, and forced her to look at him again. "I promised, 'member?"   
  
  
  
She gave in, and smiled at him. "Much better," he said. "But you still have something to tell me after breakfast." Realizing the other three boys were staring at the two of them, he looked at each of them and raised his eye- brows. "Well? Breakfast is calling you, Sirius. Eat." That was all that the gaping boy needed. Deciding it was useless to ask any more right now, Sirius dropped onto the bench beside James, and the other two followed suite. As usual, he filled his plate with everything he could reach, and started wolfing it down. Lily couldn't help but stare.  
  
  
  
James noticed her gaze, and told her, "It takes getting used to. Don't worry, he doesn't bite. Usually." All four of the guys grinned, and some food fell out of Sirius' mouth. A look of repulsion crossed Lily's face, and then was replaced by confusion. She didn't get it. "It's an inside- joke thing. You're not supposed to understand it. And you're not alone in your disgust." This came from Remus, who sent a reproachful look towards his friend. Lily blushed, and started playing with her food. "Li-leeeee! Open up some, Remus is probably the best of us all when it comes to friendliness. Sirius is a really cool guy when it's not at the breakfast table, and Peter is- well, Peter is just Peter." James was frustrated at her shyness.   
  
  
  
"I'm not used to this, James," she told him quietly. "Usually, when someone talks to me, it's only, an 'oh, I'm sorry', or 'could you please move', and they don't even spare me a glance. This is weird." James sighed. She had a point. Remus assured her, "We won't do anything. . .rude, not to you. James might kill us." James grinned and punched his friend on the shoulder, while Remus pretended to be hurt and rubbed his shoulder regretfully.   
  
  
  
~If they're friends with James, they can't be too bad~ she reasoned with herself. So, she smiled at them, and relaxed. A little. Her nightmare still lurked at the back of her mind. She didn't talk much, but answered questions when they were asked. Soon enough, it was time for Charms class, and they all got up and walked out of the Hall. James and Lily fell back a little, so James could continue to interrogate her.   
  
  
  
"All right, spill. You didn't eat breakfast,"-she hadn't- "and you came down with tear-streaks on your face. Something's up. And I wanna know what it is." James stopped at that and waited for an answer expectantly. Lily sighed. ~He's being really demanding about this. . .but I asked for it.~ And that she had. "James. . . it's a long story to say the least, and we're gonna be late for Charms if we don't hurry." Glancing at him, she saw that he wouldn't let it go. "All right!! I *promise* I'll tell you, but not now. How 'bout during break? Meet me in the library, k?" It was James's turn to sigh. He'd been so close. "All right. But you will tell me, and please don't lie to me." Smiling at him, she nodded, and they walked into the classroom together.   
  
  
  
"You're sitting with me, you know that, right?" James asked her. Rolling her eyes at his forwardness (A/N: is that even a word?), she followed him to where the rest of the Marauders were already sitting in a back corner of the room. ~To pass notes and plan pranks, I'm guessing,~ she thought with amusement. As she and James sat down, with a polite greeting to the other guys, Kimberly Andrews came up.   
  
  
  
~Why am I going out with her, anyway?~ James thought. ~She's clingy, annoying, and has no mind of her own. Not to mention she's a total slut.~ To prove his point, she sat on the edge of his desk, leaned forward so that she was at an angle where James got a face full of her cleavage. She was wearing a really, *really* short mini-skirt, a clingy square-necked top, and *way* to much perfume. James had to control the urge to gag.  
  
  
  
"Jamesy-poo, where were you yesterday? I looked everywhere for you, but couldn't find you. I was getting bored," she purred, and leaned in for a kiss. James pulled back. "Look, Kimberly, uhhhh," James started, "I don't think this is working. You really might want a guy who's more willing. Besides, I think I'm interested in someone else. . ." ~Where the hell did that come from? I wasn't planning on saying that to her. . . oh well, it seemed to have worked.~ And it had. Kimberly had started tearing up, and whined, "But. . . but James, we were doing so well together; how could I need someone else? You're the only one I love!"   
  
  
  
Lily had been listening to the whole thing. Controlling the urge to snort and give Kimberly a piece of her mind, she thought furiously, ~Right, suuuure. Maybe you should tell that to Ricky, since you two were so close together yesterday!~ She had seen her and Ricky Richards snogging like there was no tomorrow yesterday in the library. ~Yes Kimberly, you are SO faithful1!~ she thought sarcastically.   
  
"Yeah, right, uhhhh. . . sorry Kimberly, I guess it's just not meant to be. Ummm, I guess I'll see you around?" James finished lamely. She made a noise that sounded like she was choking on her tongue, and turned her nose up, like the stuck-up mindless slut that she was. (A/N: I got stuck here. I think I spent an all around of an hour or two to get through this paragraph; forgive me!) She walked back to her seat in a huff, and started telling her little 'posse' what had just taken place. Back in the corner, James seemed deep in thought, and the remaining Marauders were staring at their friend like he was insane.  
  
"James, are you ok?" Sirius asked in concern. "Usually, you tell us before you break up with a girl. And why did you break up with her? She's gorgeous-," Remus interrupted him then. "-Brainless, stuck-up, sluttish, and untrustworthy." Lily spoke up then. "She was with Ricky Richards yesterday in the library, probably around the time when she got 'bored'. They almost got kicked out of the library." Remus grinned. He liked this girl. She wasn't shallow, like some other people he could mention. . . "But despite our opinions, maybe James might want to answer that question himself, sometime in this lifetime." Remus's grin broadened. ~Nope. Not shallow at all. She'll be good for James. Seems to have already had an effect on him, ~ he thought.  
  
James flashed Lily a grin, before telling Sirius, "Remus is right this time, Padfoot. She's just like every other girl I've gone out with. I'm ready for someone different." ~When did I start thinking like this? Weird. But it's the truth. I want to date someone with a personality, and who would want to actually know me, ~ James thought. He couldn't wonder anymore, however, because Professor Flitwick came in, and class started.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
After Charms, the Marauders and Lily separated; she went to Potions, they went to Divination. The morning passed without incident. Well, Lily lost points from Professor Kay, for no reason Lily herself could honestly tell you. This was normal, though. Kay didn't like Gryffindor very much. After morning classes, the seventh years had lunch and a thirty- minute break.   
  
Lily paced in the space between the bookcases, waiting for James. He was at lunch. She had decided to skip it. Eating was not on her list of needs. Sighing, she dropped into he nearest chair. She was tired. A result of her three nights in a row without sleep. Just sitting there, she must've slipped into a doze, because a voice seemed to pull her out of the fog. . . "Lils? You ok?" It was James. Yawning, she nodded, and motioned for him to pull up a chair.  
  
"All right. Here goes. Don't interrupt me. For the past three nights. . ." Lily proceeded to tell him everything. Describing her nightmare of last night made her go pale and start shaking a little; the fear hadn't gone. She told him all of it; how she remembered everything with amazing detail, how she knew things even if they hadn't been obvious (i.e. Jonathon's name, the woman's eye color.), how she felt emotion so intensely after she woke up. . . everything.  
  
When she finished, his first suggestion was, "Go to Dumbledore." She refused. "It's only dreams, James. Weird ones, but dreams just the same. I'm not going to bother the Headmaster because I can't sleep." James sighed. There was nothing he could do. He wouldn't press that she see someone, but if it got worse, he'd drag her to Dumbledore's office if he had to. "All right Lils, I won't push it. But at least go to Madame Darcy, and ask for a Dreamless Sleep Potion. You've got bags under your eyes, and you're yawning every two seconds." She was. In no mood to argue, and knowing he was right, she just nodded. She raised a hand indicating he should pull her to her feet. He did so. When he let go, she stumbled. Catching her before she fell, he muttered, "You're not fit to walk, let alone attend the rest of your classes." Throwing an arm over his shoulder, he supported her to the Hospital Wing.   
  
"Madame Darcy!" James called. "Yes? What happened here?" she asked looking at the half- asleep Lily. James explained, and Madame Darcy complied. Seeing Lily was in no fit state do dose her-self, she gave the instructions to James. "Give her a spoonful of this before she goes to bed." She handed him a bottle of clear liquid. "I'm giving her permission to stay out of classes for today; she needs rest. Since I know you can't help her up to her dorm-room-," James grinned; he'd tried that before, "- I'm also giving you permission to stay out of classes, to make sure she sleeps at least in her own Tower." James nodded, and thanked her. Still supporting Lily, he headed to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
They had gotten about a third of the way there when Lily sagged and almost fell. "Shit Lily-," James cursed, because she had almost dragged them both to the floor. Sliding an arm under her knees and across the back of her chest, he carried her. "You need to eat more," he told the sleeping girl. Looking at her, he saw that she looked so peaceful when she slept. She was light as a feather. "I'll have to wake her to give her the potion," he told himself, and earned a calculating look from a painting of a fat man still eating.   
  
They had reached the Fat Lady. "Lion's den," he told her before she could ask, and she swung forward. Climbing through, careful not to hit Lily's head on anything, he headed to the couch. Depositing her gently onto it, and sitting her up, he woke her. "Lily, sweetie, wake up. I need you to take a swallow of this." "James?" she muttered groggily. To tired to make any objections, she accepted the spoonful, and immediately went back to sleep.  
  
He didn't want to leave her here in the common room; it would be too noisy between classes and people would ask questions. He couldn't take her to her room; it was physically not possible. "There's always my room. . .," he said to no one. Picking her up, he carried her up the stairs to the boys' dormitories, and to his room. Laying her on his bed and tucking her in, he sat and watched her sleep.  
  
He too was beginning to feel sleepy. Yawning widely, he thought, ~Well, it's my bed, I'm sleepy, and it's not like I'm doing anything wrong. . .~ With that, he lay down beside her. (A/N: She's under the blankets, he's not. Just so you'd know.) On a whim, he reached up and closed the curtains of his four-poster. "You're amazing Lily. You're not like any other girl." He tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.   
  
  
  
She made a small noise in her throat, and moved closer to James, seeking his physical warmth. Still deeply asleep, she relaxed in the curve of his body and tucked her head under his chin. James was almost asleep as well. "You're beautiful. . .," he whispered, and then gave in to his need for the peaceful oblivion of sleep.   
  
All righty. I have finally plowed through that chapter. I was suffering a major case of writers block, so I'm not really satisfied with it, but it'll have to do. It's kind of an icebreaker thing. We should be getting down to business starting next chapter. Oh yeah, btw. This fic is probably very AU. You'll find out why. Because of that, I'm not going to go by OotP much, but if it will fit into the plot, I'll do it. Did that make sense?  
  
A BIG thanks you to all my reviewers!!!! I've got twenty- three reviews so far (like, right now, as I'm writing this) and only two chapters!! I feel so loved!! I'll give a few 'personal responses', but if ur not mentioned, don't take it personally. I luv ya just the same!!!! Thanx ppls!!   
  
White Rose- Thank you!! I like your adjectives, especially the compassionate one. And I don't plan on dropping this story anytime soon.   
  
I Love Snuffles - Thanx!! I know, I'm eager for some action too, but if I go *too* fast, it'll all run together, so just bear with me. This plot has a lot of strings to it, and even I'm not all too sure of the ending yet!!  
  
slytherindork00- Thanx! Lily *will* get some female companionship. It'll be two girls (so I can set Remus and Sirius up), and Lily will do the make-up thing. In case you don't all ready see it, James likes Lily right now, but he doesn't know it.   
  
Lizmarauder4eva- That's a good idea!! I'm seriously considering it. In case I forget, when we get to Christmas Break, remind me, okay? Thanx so much for the review and the idea!! 


	4. 4 Emotional Rollercoaster

Chapter 4  
  
A/N: Hey. I'm *so* sorry this took so long to get out. I've been busy with family, and then ff.net wasn't working, and everything has been crazy. So, I hope this is ok…  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize.   
  
~Dream Sequence~  
  
"If I kill them, I kill the line. There will be no threat, and I will be able to purge the world of those filthy mudbloods. . ."   
  
He was after her son, and her if she resisted. Of course she would. But she had to get him out. He was her only memory of the happiness she and Jonathon used to have. . . She spared a glance towards the horizon, and saw that she had very little time. The sun was almost set.  
  
She burst through the door, and started yelling up the stairs. "Leon! Get packed and get out, now!!" Her 15 year old son nearly ran his mother over running out of his room. "What is it? What's happening?" he asked frantically. She was never panicked. His normally calm, cool mother was rushing around his bed-room, grabbing clothes and other precious items, throwing them into a small traveling bag. "You have to leave. I don't know where you'll go, but just get out." Facing him, she framed his face with her palms, and he saw tears start to fall from her grey eyes, eyes that mirrored his own. "Mother, what is it?" he asked her. She took a deep breath, and told him, "He's after you. You have to get out. Don't ask questions, just go. I love you, and so did your father. It was why he left. . . The amulet. Keep it, and don't take it off. It's a family heirloom, give it to your firstborn. Promise me, Leon, promise me that you'll go somewhere safe!!"   
  
He looked at her, the only family he had, and saw the urgency in her face. "I promise, but I don't understand. . ." They both jumped at the sound of the door crashing in. "Go!!," she urged him, pushing him towards the back door. Remembering something, she reached in the closet by the door, and pulled out a silvery bundle. Unfolding it, she threw it over Leon. "It was your father's Invisibility Cloak. Use it well," she whispered, and pushed him outside. Shutting the door firmly, still crying, she turned to face the certain death that now awaited her.   
  
~End Dream Sequence~  
  
James woke up when something solid hit him in the stomach. "Holy shit," he muttered, still half asleep. Forcing himself to focus, he saw that it was Lily, thrashing around in her sleep. ~That makes no sense,~ he thought. ~She took a Dreamless Sleep Potion, yet she's dreaming. That's not normal . . .~ It hit him then that she couldn't wake up because the potion was still in her system. Thinking fast, he grabbed his wand. Pointing it at Lily, he whispered, "Ennervate," under his breath.   
  
Lily woke up gasping, like she'd just finished running a long distance. ~This isn't my room, or my bed!~ she thought frantically. Then she saw James leaning over her, with concern etched into every line of his face. "Where am I?" she asked him groggily. "Gryffindor Tower, in my bed," he answered. "Lily, are you okay? What happened?" She sat up straight, and almost screamed, "I'm in *your* bed? What does that mean?"   
  
"It was here or the common room. I figured people would ask to many questions if you had slept downstairs." Tactfully, he avoided mentioning he had slept beside her. ~And a wonderfully peaceful sleep it was, too.~ he thought, but didn't say anything. "Lily, I want you to go see Dumbledore about these dreams. They aren't normal." She lifted her chin in defense, and shook her head.   
  
"Please Lily. Madame Darcy gave you a Dreamless Sleep potion, yet you still dreamed. Do you remember it?" Fear skittered across her face. ~What's happening to me?~ she thought. "Yes, I remember it, but I wont go see Dumbledore." James let out a frustrated breath. "Please Lily? At least for my peace of mind." He was prepared to carry her there, but suppressed that urge. Lily looked at him, and saw that he was serious. "I really don't want to, but . . . I'll go."  
  
James jumped up and grabbed her hand. "Thank you. Come on," he said, and pulled her out of the room. They almost collided with Remus and Sirius, who were looking for James. Sirius saw Lily, and grinned maliciously. James saw the look on his friends face, and stopped him before things got out of hand. "No, Sirius, we didn't do anything you would've done." And pulled Lily down the stairs and out of the common room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
When they reached the stone gargoyle, James encountered an obstacle in his master- plan. "Lily," he asked, "Do you know the password?" A wave of hope rolled over Lily. If they couldn't get in, she didn't have to tell…  
  
"It's 'coconut rum'," Dumbledore said from behind them. ~Damn it all to hell and back again!!~ Lily thought, barely containing a groan of frustration. James caught the look of despair and grinned at her. Gripping her hand firmly, he told the Headmaster, "Lily needs to tell you something. We didn't know the password. Obviously." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with warm amusement. "Well then, let's go up, unless you prefer to discuss this out here in the corridor."  
  
Lily panicked at the very suggestion. James wisely swallowed a chuckle, and replied, "In your office, Headmaster. I think Lily would prefer it." Lily shot him a glare that would have curdled sour milk. They followed Professor Dumbledore up the stairs to his office- where even James, who had been there countless time before to discuss detention- couldn't help but look around at the odd assortment of gadgets that whirled and whizzed comfortably.  
  
Lily, who had never been to the Headmasters office, being the quiet and withdrawn person she was, blushed when the professor said, "Sit down, Lily, and tell me what's on your mind." She sat, albeit stiffly. Feeling like a cornered rabbit, she stared at her hands, which were twisting nervously in her lap. ~Why am I so nervous? ~ she thought frantically. ~They're just dreams! ~  
  
~That's the point, ~ the little voice in her mind chose to say at that moment.  
  
~But it's *Dumbledore*! He doesn't get annoyed, angry or upset at *anyone*! ~ she argued back.  
  
~Yet you hate being stupid or foolish more than anything, almost. You're afraid you might mess up . . . or that something worse might come of this . . .~  
  
~Mess up in front of *who*, might I ask? And what could come of *dreams*? ~  
  
~You might mess up in front of . . . James? ~ The little voice said tauntingly.  
  
~No! He's the one who dragged me here in the first place! He . . .~ she trailed off.  
  
~Ha! There you go. You're in denial. But they're staring, so shut up and tell them, for Merlin's sake! ~  
  
They were. Dumbledore was looking at her with a quiet patience, and James with concern. ~Why's this so hard for her? ~ he wondered. ~They aren't normal dreams. If they were, then she wouldn't have had that last one. And Dumbledore can help, not to mention he doesn't bite. ~ Despite these reasons, her shoulders were tense, and her face pale. She looked tired and seemed to be having an internal battle.   
  
After a little hesitation, he decided he would risk utmost humiliation. ~For her sake. . . and she looks like she needs it.~ 'It' was a shoulder massage. He stood up and walked behind her. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Relax. It's only Dumbledore. And you said so yourself that they were only dreams. Tell him." She didn't want to relax, but he was so damn *good* at what he was doing, and it was so soothing . . .  
  
Catching herself before she started to lean against him, Lily took a deep breath, and started to tell her Headmaster about her dreams, the startling clarity of them, and everything besides. The whole time, James stood behind her, a comforting and supportive presence, his hands resting on her shoulders. When she finally finished, the tension in her body released, and she leaned back in her chair, breathing deeply. James knelt beside her, asking, "Are you okay?" She smiled at him, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. Just really, really tired. I'm deprived of sleep, remember?" He chuckled, and gently tickled her. She giggled and shoved his hand away. All with her eyes closed. ~I wish she'd open them, ~ he thought. ~I love looking at them. They're such a dark, deep green. ~  
  
Turning to the Professor, he asked, "So . . .?" He didn't like that look. Not *at all*. It was worried, and a little confused. "I think I need to call Professor Kena. She knows more about this than I do." James glanced at Dumbledore, and Lily furrowed her brows, but didn't open her eyes. The Professor stood and walked to the fire. Throwing in a glittery green powder, he stuck his head in, yelling, "Professor Kena!" James almost choked on his laughter. Nudging Lily, he managed to get her to open her eyes, ~Those beautiful emerald eyes, ~ and pointed at the fireplace. Her eyes lit with genuine laughter. Professor Dumbledore, bent over, with his hands on his knees, his head in the fire. *That* was definitely a sight to see. (A/N: Are you picturing this like I am? I find it hilariously funny . . . lol.)   
  
The two students heard a muffled exchange of words, and then Dumbledore pulled his head out. "Give her 15 minutes. Then we'll talk." He was apparently oblivious to the amusement of his students. "In the meantime, let's talk about your duties as Head Boy and Girl. I was going to summon you tomorrow, but now is as good as then, right?" Both James and Lily were under control now, and paid close attention. "You'll be given Hall duties. Patrol the corridors between 10:30 and 11:00. You can get the prefects to help you." Dumbledore paused, and then went on. "I want you two to plan something for Christmas, and Halloween if you like. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, come to me. You'll both be given the password to my office, and will be notified when I change it. Understood?" They nodded, processing and storing the information. "Good. If you want, you can call a meeting with the prefects, but that is your concern."  
  
They lapsed into silence, James and Lily thinking over ideas and stuff. The two teens jumped at the quiet voice of their Ancient Runes teacher. "You wanted to see me, Professor Dumbledore?" He smiled at her, and offered her a seat. "Yes, Evelien You know more about this type of thing than I do. Lily here," Dumbledore said, motioning towards the confused redhead, "Is having strange dreams. James says that a Dreamless Sleep Potion didn't stop Lily from having the dream. I have a theory, but I want your opinion first." The woman nodded, and thought for a minute.  
  
Lily studied her teacher. Professor Kena wasn't your normal witch or wizard. In fact, she couldn't do magic with a wand as the other teachers could. She didn't brew potions the way the students were taught, if she bothered to brew them at all. Evelien Kena was a wood-elf. As Lily looked at her, she saw what she usually did. Clear blue eyes that seemed to suck you into their depths, a straight, small nose, elegant ears tipped with a sharp point, surrounded by long, straight dark brown hair. She was a beautiful creature, tall, graceful, and fair-skinned. She knew much about old languages, for she was immortal, as are all elves. The wisdom, intelligence, and kindness in her eyes always showed, but at the moment they were also thoughtful.  
  
"Lily, could you tell me about your dreams? You don't have to explain the dream itself, but tell me what makes it stand out." Lily understood. "For one, I always remember them with such incredible detail, and the details don't fade. When I wake up, I always feel like my emotions have been intensified, and it takes a while to go away. For a time after I wake up, it's like I'm half in the dream world, and half in reality. And I know things, things I shouldn't know and have never in any way come across before, like the name of a person, or the color of a sleeping person's eyes. And it always keeps me up because I'm afraid to go back to sleep."   
  
It wasn't as hard as it was with Dumbledore, she noted. Almost as if she and the Professor were sharing a well known fact of life. "Interesting . . ." Professor Kena murmured in her soft voice. "Do you ever have strong emotions before a big event, or for no reason at all, and in the end that feeling was, shall we say, right?" Lily thought for a minute, and then said, "No, I don't think so. But I always seem to be having de javu. A lot." ~Where'd that come from? ~ she thought. "Hmmm. . . Very interesting." Kena murmured once again. She had a theory as well, and a way of proving it.   
  
"Lily, I'm going to give you something, for the moment, and I want you to just look at it. Don't think about it, just look at it and study it." Lily looked at her, surprised and confused, when the elf pulled a chain from under her robes. On it dangled a small, beautiful charm. It was a combination of a moon, sun, and a raindrop. A circular disk, the outer edge made of gold inlaid with rubies in the shape of a sun's rays. The other half was a sickle moon, made of opal. In the space between was a sapphire drop shaped like a raindrop, surrounded by gold. It was a beautiful piece. (A/N: I hope you can picture this. I drew it out for me, and I described it as best I could.)  
  
Lily took it, laying it gently on her palm, and studied it intently. So intently she looked almost in a trance. James reached for her, but Professor Kena gave him a sharp glance and he relented. Lily was mesmerized; not thinking of anything, yet noticing the way the opal seemed to blend perfectly with the gold, as did the ruby and sapphire. Like the tides on a beach, things in the room started to fade, then come back again. As she continued to gaze at the pendant, she felt like she was being sucked into someplace new, and far away. Into a completely different time zone. And she saw . . .  
  
~Vision~   
  
A fire crackled merrily in the hearth. A family of three sat at a table eating dinner, when a knock sounded on the door. The man, a handsome elf dressed in darks greens and grays, got up to answer it. The woman continued to eat, but the child look distracted, staring at her plate and not moving. When she snapped out of her trance, she started crying. Getting up, she ran to her father, who was just walking back in, the smile wiped off his face and the laughter gone from his eyes. "Ada, don't go!! Please don't go. Stay here with naneth and me!" she sobbed, clinging to him like a burr. "Selde, I have to. They need my help. How did you know I have to leave, anyway?" he asked, but she didn't answer. Instead, she gripped him tighter, still begging him not to leave.  
  
"Be safe, Lenwea," she murmured to him. Kissing her gently, he told her, "Don't worry, I will be fine, wherever I go. All my love, Enelya." He gently pried his daughter off his leg. "Orelendea, what's gotten into you? You know I must go." She sobbed into his chest. "You won't come back, you won't come back . . ." she muttered. "Of course I will. Here," he said pulling out a necklace from under his tunic. "I was going to give this to you when you were older, but . . ." He would be the last to admit it, but this didn't feel right, going off now. But he had to. Slipping the pendant over her head, he told her, "My mother gave it to me. It's a family heirloom. It's for protection, and most of all love. I love you, my little aara." Hugging her tightly, he slipped out the door. As he looked back, he saw his beloved wife standing in the doorway, watching him, holding his crying daughter to her chest.  
  
Like water still, something pulled Lily out of there, too another scene . . .  
  
They stood there, the little elven child and her elven mother, both wearing long gowns of a deep, deep green with dark cloaks. The expressions they wore were identical: utter grief, as if the sun itself had been snuffed out. They were standing in the river, knee deep in the water. As they stood there, crying silent tears, they watched as the body of the loving husband and father floated downstream. Watching her father slip farther away from her every second, the little girl pulled out the pendant. It was the second to last thing he had given her, almost as precious as his last gift. Almost. His last gift had been unconditional love. Gripping the pendant tightly, as if it might bring him back, she whispered, "It's all my fault . . ." and burst into tears.   
  
She was being tugged away. The last thing clear thing she saw was the elf- child kneeling in the water, her face in her hands as her heart was ripped to pieces.   
  
Then she was back. From where? That was the problem. She had no idea.  
  
The Headmasters office was there, solid and real. She could still hear the sobs, feel the grief, and wasn't sure what the hell was going on. Looking around, she saw Professor Dumbledore gazing at her with worry clear in his eyes, Professor Kena with a sad and understanding look. And holding James back. Before she could ask a single question, James was wrapping her in a hug so tight it would've knocked the breath from her lungs, if she had any left.   
  
"Are you okay? You were in a trace, and went all limp and distant . . . Jesus, Lily!! You scared the life out of me!! What happened?" As she looked at him, it all caught up with her. The intense grief, the confusion, the sympathy for the little elf- child, it all hit her at once, as if it had been a delayed reaction. Lily burst into tears of her own and buried her face in James' chest. ~Whatever it was, it must've been really bad. She's crying harder than she was the night in the Astronomy Tower . . . Which I'll never forget, ~ he thought, holding her close, and murmuring quiet comforts into her ear. Kissing the top of her head, he rocked her as he might have rocked a child, and she wept powerful tears, letting it all go.  
  
Eventually, Lily ran out of tears, and her sobs receded to quiet sniffles. ~God, I'm so tired . . .~ she thought, snuggling closer to James. ~And he's so warm and comfortable, too. ~ That little voice in her head snickered and said, ~Ha ha, told ya so!! He he he! ~ She mentally shoved it aside and thought angrily, ~Just shut up! ~ Sighing, she realized they were still in Dumbledore's office, with two professors. She was too tired and confused to care what she said or did at the moment.   
  
"Okay, what the *hell* just happened?" she asked, handing the pendant back to her Professor. James' arms were now loosely clasped around her waist, and his chin rested on her hair. He too was tired, and didn't notice the intimacy of his and Lily's position. However, the professors did. Kena was quiet and seemed distracted, but then her eyes focused, and she smiled knowingly at the two teenagers, unknowingly wrapped around each other. "Well, Lily, I was hoping you could tell me. Start from the beginning." Lily sighed, and thought, ~I should have seen this coming. ~   
  
She told Kena everything. Cried out, and tired beyond belief, she only shed a few tears as she spilled the story. Leaning against James for support, which he willingly gave, she came within a nanometer (A/N: What the hell is that?) of closing her eyes, when she saw the tears streaming down Professor Kena's pale cheeks. Tensing, she asked, "What's wrong? What did I do?" Inhaling slowly, then letting the breath out, Evelien stemmed the flow of tears, and stood.  
  
"It's has nothing to do with you, Lily." Staring into the fire, she continued. "I know that scene. I know it intimately. Of course I do," she said quietly. "How could I not? After all, I lived it, and it's one of the most prominent memories of my life." Falling into silence, the wise, yet still young elf thought of how things would turn out. It could go so many different ways . . .  
  
It took a few seconds to sink in. But sink in it did. "You *what*"???" James and Lily yelled in unison, and then lapsed into a shocked silence. Turning to face Lily, Evelien said, "I was that little elf-child. It was me, me who clung to my father's leg when I was but a hundred years old, begging him to stay at home where it was safe. Me who was standing in the river, blaming myself for something I thought I could have changed. All me. The woman was my mother, who died five years later from grief." She said it with such fierce emotion, that Lily leaned back. Her tone softening, Evelien said, "That was when I found out what I was, and started learning to control some aspects of it. It's both a burden and a blessing."  
  
Cautiously, Lily asked, "Found out you were a *what*, exactly?" Smiling grimly, Evelien Kena looked Lily in the eye, and told her, "Found out I was a Melwasul. Do you know what that is?" When Lily simply shook her head, she continued. "'Melwasul' is Elvish for 'Seer of the Future'. We are not like your normal Seers. We do not have the 'Inner Sight', as your Divination professor would call it. We have a gift. It's a vision, and you have no control over what you See, how you See it, or when you See it. There's very little you can control. We feel the emotions that are running through the hearts of the people we See. But Melwasul never have their visions through dreams."   
  
"Rare we are, as most Melwasul are elves, and few are born with the gift. But there is another out there, even rarer than my kind."   
  
Lily did *not* like where this was heading.   
  
"What are you saying?" she asked, but Professor Kena wasn't looking at her anymore. "You said you had a theory, Professor Dumbledore. May I ask what it was?" Kena asked the Headmaster, who nodded. "I thought that Miss Evans was a Seer, or a Melwasul." Kena nodded, and asked, "Do you know of what I speak, when I say that there is another out there?" Looking at the Ancient Runes teacher curiously, he answered, "No, I can't say that I do."  
  
"Lily Evans, you haven't had a dream since all this began. Not a real one." Unconsciously, Lily leaned further into James, who unconsciously tightened his grip on her. Evelien continued. "They have all been visions. But, as I said, Melwasul do not have visions in dream-form." She went into another trance, as she saw how the two held each other, and smiled again. "A Melwasul you are not," she started, looking at Lily intently.  
  
"But a Calaelen you are."   
  
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A/N: It's done, it's done, it's done. . . I can't *believe* it took me so long to get this out. But, here it is!! A wonderful thanks to my reviewers, who have all been very encouraging. I'd like to give a special shout-out to Agloechen, who e-mailed me about this chapter, and badgered me until I got my butt into gear. So, everyone who's been waiting for this chapter needs to thank her. I sure do. Oh, and BTW, it's 5:00 am over here. I've been at this chapter for *five freaking hours*!!!!  
  
I'd like to say I've already got half of chapter 5 in my head, so hopefully it will be out soon.  
  
Something else . . . I did a spelling and grammar check, but I'm so freaking tired, and my sister isn't here to edit the chapter for me, so if you see any mistakes, then I'm sincerely sorry for it. I could use a beta reader. Any offers? E-mail me if you don't mind.  
  
Keep reviewing!!!  
  
Andufeniel 


	5. 5 Changes

Chapter 5  
  
A/N: Finally. Ok, there's a connection between something that's said in the first part, and something that happens later. See if you can find it…  
  
Disclaimer: See chapters 1-4. I'm sick of writing it already.  
  
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Since Lily seemed to be in a complete state of shocked silence, James asked the question for both of them. "She's a *what*???"  
  
"A Calaelen," Professor Kena replied calmly.   
  
"Ok, let me rephrase that question," James said, a little irritated. "What the hell is a Calaelen?" He was tired, grumpy, and worried about Lily. The rudeness of cursing at a Professor was the last thing on his mind.  
  
Lily had started to regain some of her senses. Softly, she said, "A Calaelen is a Seer of the Past, the rare kindred Professor Kena spoke of." James stared at her. "I do read, James. A lot," she said. James let out a frustrated groan, and then looked skyward. "Somebody help me. I feel ignorant," he pleaded to the ceiling.  
  
Professor Dumbledore had been silent for a long while. Now he spoke. "I remember reading about this race. There have only been five in recorded history, the most prominent being Vivian of Avalon. I didn't know that they were of a kyn to Melwasul, though." James managed to, barely, suppress another groan. ~Well, don't I feel stupid.~ he thought.   
  
Lily was still comfortably leaning against James. ~This is too much, at least for right now.~ she thought. "Now that we've established the 'what' of my abnormality, can I go to bed? Maybe we could talk about this in the morning?" Lily suggested. "I second that," James spoke up quickly. The two Professors smiled at them. "Yes, I think that is enough for one night, don't you agree, Evelien?" Dumbledore said, looking at the woman. "Yes, but for one thing. I am sure Lily would love to remain in school-," Lily nodded. "-And to do so, she will need sleep. I have a book, written by Vivian, that I hope will help Miss Evans with her gift. I cannot open it, for it is charmed so that only a Calaelen may read it." A flicker of hope sparked in Lily's eyes. "I can help her sleep peacefully for a few nights, but I don't think Lily should stay in the Gryffindor Tower. Her emotions may get the better of her, and she could wake up screaming or crying, and others would ask questions." Professor Kena finished.   
  
"I agree, Evelien," Professor Dumbledore said. "And, I think that Lily's gift should be kept a secret between us four. If the school knew, it would undoubtedly reach other ears- ears that could do significant harm." Only Professor Kena knew that Dumbledore meant the steadily rising threat of a new Dark Wizard who called himself Voldemort. "That means you can't tell the rest of the Marauders, James."   
  
James looked up at his Headmaster, clearly startled. "I hadn't planned on telling them, Professor. This is Lily's life, her gift. It will stay between me and her, if that's what she wants." He was looking at Lily now. She smiled up at him, and said, "Thank you, James."   
  
"Now, about staying somewhere besides Gryffindor Tower-," Dumbledore was cut off because James had interrupted him. "Professor, is Lily going to stay by herself, wherever you're placing her? I really don't think she should be by herself when she has these dreams-visions," he corrected, concerned. "Mr. Potter has a point, Albus," Professor Kena spoke up, encouraging the idea. "It would be. . . upsetting to wake up alone," Lily said quietly. ~Again,~ she thought. James gripped her tight for a moment; silently reminding her that she wasn't alone anymore.   
  
"Well, since it seems to be unanimous that Lily will have someone stay with her, and we've also agreed not to tell anyone else, I think James would be our best bet. James?" he asked the sleepy teen. Of course, James had no objections. ~*I* want to be the one who helps her go back to sleep at night,~ he realized. "I wouldn't say no for anything. But, Professor, what will I tell the guys?" he questioned.   
  
Dumbledore smiled. "I think, since you will be staying with Lily, you can say that I'm putting the two of you in a different dormitory, as a Head student honorary thing." James smiled. Dumbledore was smart. "Sounds good to me," he said. "Where will we be staying?"   
  
"There is a place hidden behind the portrait of a meadow at the full moon. It has a lake in the middle, with an undine hovering above it, watching the moon and stars." Dumbledore turned to Kena, and asked, "You know the painting, am I correct?" She nodded. "Yes. I pass it everyday going from my room to my class." Dumbledore smiled. "Wonderful!" he beamed. "Would you be so be so kind as to show our exhausted students to their new quarters?"   
  
James and Lily *were* exhausted. Their eyes were closed, and they were only half listening to their professors. "Gladly, Albus," Evelien said. "I don't think they'd get there otherwise. Come, we will talk about the details later." Standing, the elf-woman strode to the door. Lily and James struggled to pull themselves to their feet.   
  
The gargoyle closed up behind them. The corridor was cold, and it woke James up a little. Lily shivered beside him. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he whispered, "Come on. You'll be in bed in no time." She merely laid her head on his shoulder and let him lead her. Evelien noticed. They trusted each other completely.   
  
Walking quickly, up stairs to the 7th floor, they reached the portrait in minutes. The undine was looking up at the stars, lost in thought. "Excuse me," Professor Kena said politely. "We need to get inside. Dumbledore said there are rooms hidden behind your portrait, and these two need to stay here," she said. The undine turned to her, focusing on the three. "I see. I'd love to ask how Albus is doing, but it seems the young ones are asleep on their feet." Evelien smiled, taking an immediate liking to the lady. "Yes. We do not know the password though."   
  
"Oh, don't trouble yourself. No one has been in these rooms in ages. The password is likely forgotten. I remember it, though. I have to, for though I do not guard the entrance, if I forgot it, no one would be able to get in. It's 'Nienna'."   
  
Evelien turned to James and Lily. "Did you two get that?" They nodded. "Good. Lily, come here. I'm going to, in simple terms, put your gift on hold." Lily lifted her head from James' shoulder, and stepped toward her teacher. "James, be prepared to catch her. She will probably fall straight to sleep. Don't worry, it's completely natural. She will be up tomorrow for classes." Kena lifted her hands to Lily's temples, and closed her eyes. She started chanting in an old language, and a silver light grew around her hands, and moved to encompass Lily's head.   
  
Lily sagged, and James deftly caught her. ~That's the second time I've caught her because she fell asleep while she was standing. And I still think she needs to eat more,~ he thought. Professor Kena nodded to him. "She will not have a vision for at least three nights. She will dream, but they shouldn't keep her awake. We will talk more later, when you both are awake, and Dumbledore will arrange your transfer from Gryffindor Tower to here. Don't forget the password," she said, and then walked off.   
  
~God, I need sleep.~ James thought. "Nienna," he told the undine. She smiled at him, and bowed her head. A blue light grew from the lake, and spread until the whole painting was glowing. A beautiful lady, clothed in a white dress, with skin that seemed to be made of scales, had risen from the lake's depths. "I guard the entrance to these rooms," she said in a soft voice. "Do not worry about being found, for only those pure of heart may enter. Take care of the flower, young lion." The painting faded away, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. Full of awe, James stepped through.  
  
Looking around, he gasped. It was a beautiful room. All white, with blue curtains on the windows, it was spacious, and a fire crackled in the hearth. A comfortable looking couch was in front of it. There were two staircases, one spiraling up to the left, another too the right. Picking the right one, James carried Lily up. At the top, there was a door on each side of the landing. Opening one, he saw it was a bathroom. Lily couldn't sleep there.  
  
When he opened the last door, he sincerely hoped the other room was as good as this. It had it's own fireplace, and a deep chair beside it. Across the room was a large bed, with a window above it. The moonlight streamed through, illuminating the bed, and throwing the bedside table with a clock and lamp on it into shadow. Walking to it, he pulled the covers down, and placed Lily on it. Pulling the blankets up to her chin, he kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Lils," he murmured. Closing the door softly behind him, he went to examine his own room.  
  
It was just as grand as Lily's. The layout was much the same. There was a fireplace, a chair, and the bed. It was large, with a window on the opposite wall. Not having anything to change into, he crawled into bed. His last thought was, ~Lily will get through this. And I will help her every step of the way.~  
  
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Sunlight streaming through the window above her head woke Lily up the next morning. "Where am I?" she muttered groggily. Looking around, seeing that it was twenty times better than her dormitory, she decided, "Wherever it is, I'm staying." Catching sight of the clock beside her head, she found she had plenty of time to get ready. If she had her things. ~Well, I won't find out much here,~ she thought, and went to explore.   
  
Stepping outside the bedroom, she saw the other door. The bathroom was a pale green, with a white marble tub, which looked more like a pool. ~Better than the prefects bathroom,~ she thought. Heading downstairs, she started to remember the night before. With a sinking feeling, she remembered that she wasn't a normal witch. ~At least I don't have to get through this alone,~ she thought, her spirits lifting a bit.   
  
The living area (A/N: That's what I'll be calling it, for lack of a better word, ok?) was beautiful. The pastel blues and soft whites gave off a peaceful atmosphere. The couch looked amazingly comfortable, and currently, it was occupied.  
  
"James?" she said, looking down at him. He had his arm over his eyes, and was stretched out across the couch. He was asleep, it seemed. "Hey, Lils," he said, not moving. "Did you sleep alright?" he asked her. "Yeah, I slept great," she replied. "What are you doing?" He grinned.  
  
"I'm laying down, waiting for you, what does it look like?" he said, laughing. She smiled at him. "Well, I'm here, so what now?" she asked him. "Well, first, you do a Neatening Charm on yourself, so that you at least look like you've changed into clean clothes, even if you haven't." She laughed, once again reminding James of silver bells. "Yes, sir," she mock saluted him, and pulled out her wand. The wrinkles smoothed out of her clothes, and her hair smoothed into their usual curls. "Now?" she asked, since James seemed to know more than she did about what was going on.   
  
"Now, we go back to Gryffindor Tower, to shower and get ready for school." Lily grinned out right, and told him, "Yes, you definitely need to shower, James. You're ripe." He laughed, happy that she was smiling and joking on her own. "Thank you, Lily. And may I say, you smell like flowers yourself this morning." Laughing, they exited the room.  
  
"You two look much better today," the undine said, smiling. "Sleep well, did you?" They smiled and nodded to her politely. "Good. And by the way, my name is Earane." Once more they smiled and nodded. Walking away towards the Gryffindor Tower, James asked, "Lily, do you remember the password?" She shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I wasn't awake enough. What is it, and was there anything I should know about that happened last night after we left Dumbledore's office?"   
  
"It's 'nienna', and no. Kena will probably talk to you after class today. Dumbledore will arrange our 'moving'. I guess he'll contact when he's ready." They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and as they climbed through, Lily realized that she would have to face all the other girls, since they were surely awake by now. She groaned. "Lily?" James asked. "Are you ok?"   
  
"No. If I don't come back down, you'll know that I've either died of humiliation, or suffocated from all the perfume those girls spray." James looked at her. "Humiliation?" he asked. "Some of the snobbier girls enjoy teasing me," she explained. "My hair, my eyes, my grades, my lack of any type of romantic relationship whatsoever, that kind of thing." James looked stunned. ~Her hair and her eyes are beautiful, her grades are awesome, making her better than any of them, and just because she's never went out with anyone doesn't mean they should *tease* her.~ James may play horrible pranks on the Slytherins, but come on, they *are* Slytherins. He has a heart.  
  
"Usually I'm out of the dorm before they get up." She finished. He slung an arm around her shoulders, and told her, "Well, you have my never-ending support. My advice to you is, get in, get out, and stay here until I get back down, kay?" She laughed, and nodded. They separated at the staircases, going up to their respective dorms.  
  
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James' dorm  
  
When he opened the door, he was blinded for a minute because three pillows were thrown at his head. "Ouch!" he yelped, because Sirius' pillow hit him squarely in the nose, making his glasses cut into the skin. "What was that for?" he protested. "For worrying us, you dolt! You ran off with *Lily*, and didn't some back! We know you didn't do anything. . .ah. . . nasty, because that's not you," "Nor is it Lily," Remus put in. "You weren't on the map!!" Sirius finished. Peter nodded, still glaring at James.  
  
"Well, I'm here now, and I'm sorry for worrying you guys. Can I take a shower first, though? According to Lily, I stink." James grinned at their bewildered faces. "Get your heads out of the gutter, boys. It all has an explanation." Grabbing some clothes, he escaped into the bathroom, and hoped Lily was having as much luck as he was with explanations.  
  
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Lily's dorm  
  
She wasn't.  
  
Trying to open the door quietly, and slip in unnoticed didn't work. The door creaked loudly in protest. She winced as all the girls in the room, who were scurrying around putting on make-up, looked toward her. Silence fell.  
  
"Isn't that the girl who always gets top marks?" Another girl, Marcy Danahope, called out, "Hey, fire-head, did you fall asleep in the library again?" Temper spiked in Lily's gut. "No," she spat out. "As a matter of fact, I've never fallen asleep in the library." Walking to her trunk and pulling out her toiletries, she turned her back on them as they snickered. She was blushing to the roots of her hair, and the temper had ebbed. Tears prickled behind her eyes as another one said-she didn't know who-, "Well, she certainly wasn't with a *guy*, I mean, just *look* at her." All the other girls' murmured an affirmative as Lily silently closed the door to the bathroom door behind her. ~Why can't they ever look beyond my face?~ she thought, as she let the tears fall.  
  
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James was already down when she finished. Actually, she had waited until all the girls had gone down to breakfast. She couldn't bear the taunts.   
  
"Hey," James jumped up when she walked downstairs. "How'd it go?" he asked. "Not so good," she replied, forcing a laugh. "The usual. Reminds me of *why* I avoid them." Leading her over to where the guys were waiting for them, he said, "Don't worry. They don't matter, and they must be jealous." Lily snorted. "Jealous of what? I'm abnormal, even for a witch. Petunia won't ever let me forget it. And now this. . ."  
  
"Explain," Sirius interrupted. "Man, Sirius! What's the big deal? I was only gone for a night, and nothing happened. Why are you so uptight?" Sirius threw up his hands in frustration. "You could have been in the Hospital Wing, you could have been a victim of something Peeves did, you could have been caught by Filch, *and*, you didn't tell us you'd be out all night!!! You just ran off with Lily here, and don't tell us anything! That in itself is abnormal!"   
  
"You finished?" James asked. "Yes," Sirius replied. "In that case, lets talk and walk to breakfast at the same time, okay?" Lily suggested. "Wonderful idea, Lily!" Sirius exclaimed, and started towards the portrait hole. The rest of them just rolled their eyes.  
  
By the time they had reached the Great Hall, Lily and James had told all they were going to tell at the moment. Lily and James were staying in the 'Head Tower' as a reward for making Head students. Sirius and Peter bought it. Remus, of course, being the perceptive person he was, didn't.  
  
  
  
After breakfast, on the way to Herbology, he pulled James away from their group. "You know, Prongs, that still doesn't explain why you *ran* out of the *boys* dormitories yesterday, *together*. Care to elaborate?" Remus asked.  
  
James was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Remus," he started. "I need you to understand that Lily is my friend, and that I wouldn't betray her trust, or her secrets. Just like I wouldn't spill yours." Remus nodded, understanding. "So, Lily isn't a normal witch." he concluded. James nodded, knowing Remus would understand, with his lycanthropy. "Nothing of this to Sirius or Peter, right? This is Lily's secret, not ours." Remus nodded, remembering how hard it had been to make friends when he first came, how hard it was to trust. "Absolutely," he promised.  
  
They caught up with the other three. Lily was laughing and smiling at something Sirius had said. To James it seemed that everything was fine, for right now, at this moment, she was happy.  
  
Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Remus knows you have a secret, but no details. Don't worry," he said as she glanced worriedly at Remus. "I trust him, and you should too. We all have our secrets, Lils." She smiled again and relaxed.   
  
Classes went by as usual, and after Ancient Runes, Lily talked to Professor Kena. She motioned for Lily to follow her through a door at the back of the classroom. It looked like a miniature library, except for the books were old and worn. "Here," Professor Kena said, handing her a large book, leather bound, with a belted clasp. "It should help you." Lily smiled at the elf gratefully. "Thank you," she said, and Evelien smiled. Reaching out to touch the redhead's cheek, she said, "I know how it feels. If ever you need to talk to someone, come to me. About anything." She had made a new friend.  
  
At lunch, Lily was sitting with the Marauders, and they were all laughing. She couldn't have been happier. She may have found out that she had a strange gift she knew nothing about, but she had made four new friends, all at once. ~Or, almost all at once,~ Lily thought, remembering that night in the Astronomy Tower. She smiled.  
  
"Lily, James, may I speak to you a moment?" a voice said from behind them. It was Professor Dumbledore. The two Head students stood up, and followed him out of earshot of the other students. "I have spoken with the guardian of your rooms. She has granted me permission to open up a temporary passage way between Gryffindor Tower and your living area. You can move your things that way, without staircases, and students gawking at you." They smiled. "Thank you, Professor," Lily said.   
  
"Professor Dumbledore?" James asked. "Lily and I wanted to hold a prefect meeting, and we need a place to do it in." Dumbledore nodded, and told them, "Professor McGonagall has kindly agreed to lend you her classroom. Try eight o'clock. There is a staff meeting then." They nodded, said 'thank you', and went to round up prefects.  
  
So, the rest of the day went by. The prefect meeting was held, and they decided to have just the Halloween Feast, and a Christmas Ball. They left anything after Christmas holidays for after Christmas holidays. Lily and James would patrol the halls, and the prefects could help if they wanted to.   
  
The moving took no time at all. Sirius, Remus, and Peter helped James to pack his things, and Lily didn't really need to pack. She was a very clean, organized person. Besides, she didn't really have much stuff. Her parents didn't take her shopping, and she didn't have money for Hogsmeade.  
  
The entrance to the living area was in the boys' dormitories. When Lily levitated her stuff so it could be moved, the other girls sneered, and said, "Are you moving to the Library?" Lily grinned maliciously. "No," she said. "James and I are moving to the Head Tower. Haven't you heard?" The look on their faces was priceless. They stood their gaping at her, like fish. She, Lily Evans, was going to be living with *the* James Potter. How could this happen?  
  
When her all her things had been placed in her room, she told the guys. They all laughed, long and hard. "I have to admit, though," Lily said. "I never would have seen this coming. I've never had a friend in my life, and now I've got four. Amazing." Sirius grinned. "Cheer up Lils," he said. "You've got us now. How we missed out on you for six years is a mystery, but, hey, that's life. You are officially *in*."   
  
Remus smiled at her. "Yep. Sirius is, for once, right. We are your friends, and we'll stick by you. I know from personal experience that these guys don't make judgments. Trust me." Lily laughed and said, "This is great."  
  
All the while, James watched, and wondered what made Lily Evans so different from any other girl he'd known. He wondered, too, at why he was changing. Because the James Potter of before-Lily would never found himself helping a girl so quickly, and so easily. Not a girl like this.  
  
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A/N: Gosh, that took FOREVER!!!! I'm so glad it's done. It's definitely not the best chapter. I believe it's one of the worst. But, I kinda want to move ahead a little. Get on with the show. I think the next chapter will be at Halloween. With a confused James. How's that sound?  
  
By the way. If you don't mind too terribly, take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and write me a long review. I love praise, and *constructive* criticism would not go amiss.  
  
I'm starting school Tuesday, so I actually might get more done, because I won't be so lazy. I don't know, but we'll see.   
  
Thanks to all my reviewers!! You're awesome!!!  
  
Andufeniel 


	6. 6 Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chapter 6  
  
A/N: Man, it's been a month! I had no idea I could get that busy! Please forgive me for the lack of updates. My Language Arts teacher loads us with homework, every night. I get so tired of it. Well, here's chapter 6!  
  
Disclaimer: Christ, if you've read the other chapters, you would know I've already said I don't own anything you recognize. Ain't that enough already??  
  
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Halloween was a few days away, and the feast was well under way. You could smell things baking already in the corridors. Classes were going to end at 1:00 that Friday so the Hall could be decorated, and the students could have an afternoon off. Everyone knew the seventh years needed it. Their impending N.E.W.T.'s were causing the professors to give them loads of homework. The common room often didn't empty until the wee hours of the morning. But of course, James and Lily wouldn't know that, now would they?  
  
For the two Head Students, life was constant movement. Study for classes, do the homework, *go* to the classes, eat, and sleep. Of course, then you had Prefect and Head meetings, the Halloween Feast to organize, the decorations to buy, and, for Lily at least, the nagging fear that any second she would stop what she was doing and See something.   
  
Since she had been given Vivian's workings, she had studied as much as she could, but that was very little. All she had learned so far was that the visions were brought on by an object or something else that might've had special meaning, and that she could actually hold back the visions, but no matter if or when she actually did hold them off, she would have them anyway, just later. The body needed sleep, the book said. The gift must accommodate that need in order to thrive.  
  
Aside from that, life was good. She hadn't had any major visions since the one in Professor Dumbledore's office, but the little ones she did have were hilarious. For example. . .  
  
~Flashback~  
  
  
  
"Professor McGonagall, wait!" Lily called as she ran towards the teacher. She had almost forgotten to ask about the Feast, and if they could have 'living' pumpkins. When she reached the professor, she had to stop and catch her breath before asking. When she did, McGonagall's lips disappeared in a thin line. And Lily saw. . .  
  
* "Minerva, wait up!" a brown haired, handsome young man shouted. A young girl of about 16 stopped and turned. She had long, flowing black hair and round blue eyes. They were in the Great Hall, and she had been leaving before the boy had called her. "Can I help you, Devin?" she asked sweetly.  
  
  
  
"Yes, you can." He stepped toward her, and she stepped back. He continued o walk towards her, and she continued to walk back, afraid of the predatory and amused glint in his eyes. Suddenly she stopped, because she had run into a pumpkin. It was moving, and shaking with laughter. It turned when it felt her bump against it. "Ohh, a pretty little thing, aren't you?" it asked her. "Well, don't move away," it said as she started to back up again, this time toward Devin. When she bumped into him, the pumpkin glared and spat, "Oh, so you ditch me for him? Fine then." And it turned it's back haughtily on her. The entire school had seen the exchange.  
  
Minerva was bright red with embarrassment. A *pumpkin* had just hit on her, and then accused her of being with Devin! In front of the whole school, nonetheless!! Devin snickered behind her. "They've been saying all night that that one was a little more. . . ah . . . *playful* than the others. I wanted to see if it was true." He turned and swept off. *  
  
Lily had to try and hide her laughter as Professor McGonagall's face turned red, and she told Lily curtly, "No, I don't think live pumpkins is a good idea, Miss Evans. Think of something else." She had stormed off, and Lily had burst out laughing.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
That was only one of many. She now knew more about a lot of students' pasts than anyone else. There was only one problem in her world, though.  
  
The confusing enigma of the wonderful James Potter.   
  
He had become her best friend. None of the guys were as close to her as he was, for understandable reasons. He knew things they didn't. And for some odd reason, Lily knew that she could trust him to keep those secrets, and others they might share. He hadn't told even Sirius the password to their dormitory. And she knew he wasn't going to.  
  
She had noticed subtle changes in his behavior since he had moved into the 'Head's Room'. He hadn't had a girlfriend. He didn't prank quite as many people (the Slytherins' remained the same), and he wasn't always with the other Marauders. He was with her. And he was taking his studies a lot more seriously. So not James.  
  
But he was doing it, and it made her feel special. She was not supposed to be feeling this way. Every time she saw him, something in her stomach clenched, and it was a weird, yet pleasant feeling. She pushed it aside every time she felt it.   
  
At the moment, Lily was sitting in front of the fireplace, resting for once in her busy schedule. The couch was warm and soft, and she could feel sleep tugging at the edges of her mind. Lying down, she closed her eyes and let the warmth rush over her. Before she knew it, she was asleep.  
  
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James had been with the rest of the Marauders since dinner, and they had caught up on things, played a few pranks on the Slytherins, and then just chilled. It had been a while since he had spent a good amount of his time with the guys, and he did miss it. Between classes and Head duties, it was hard to find any time to simply breathe. And then there was Lily. . .  
  
She occupied his thoughts all the time. He noticed little things about her, like the way she ran her hands through her hair when she was nervous, or the way she curled strands of hair around a finger when she was bored. There was always a hint of sadness in her eyes that would probably never go away, but it was getting harder and harder for him to pick out. James didn't understand what was wrong with him, but every time she smiled, he felt joyous.   
  
Now, sitting with his friends around the fire in the Gryffindor common room, he felt as if his life was perfect. He had his friends, Quidditch, Head duties, and Lily. What more could he ask for?   
  
"So, James," Sirius started. "You've been spending a lot of time with our dear Lilykins. Is there anything we should know about?" James could see the teasing glint in his friend's eyes, but couldn't help thinking, ~What if there is?~ "Sirius, you know that we have head duties together, and we live in the same tower. Of course I spend time with her." Sirius laughed and said, "I was teasing, no need to get all defensive." He had to dodge a pillow thrown at him by Remus. It was a weak throw, but Remus was sitting right beside him.   
  
Remus's skin was pale and drawn, and he had bags under his eyes. The full moon was tomorrow night, and you could see how much it was affecting him. Thankfully it wasn't on Halloween night, or else James would have had to find a really good reason to present to Lily as to why he couldn't help her oversee the feast. (A/N: I don't know if I've said that Lily knows Remus is a werewolf or not, but if I have, let me clarify: she doesn't know.)   
  
James glanced at his watch and groaned. "I have to get up. . .," he moaned. The other three snickered. "That's what you get, James, for not turning in your badge," Peter said. James just glared and stood. Walking towards the portrait hole, he shouted a, "I'll see you tomorrow!" and walked out.   
  
Going to his corridor, he started the routine walk. Patrolling the halls was *boring*. No one was ever stupid enough to get caught, but as it was his job, he had to do it. ~Wonder where Lily is?~ he though, the rationalized that she must have started somewhere else. He didn't see her at all though, which was weird.   
  
When he was finally free to go back to his dorm, he started towards the kitchens. ~Lils said she loved chocolate chip cookies, and I want to see her smile,~ he thought. Tickling the pear and opening the revealed door, he stepped inside. "Mr. Potter!" one house-elf squeaked. "How nice to see you! What can Mitsy get you this evening?" she asked, bowing. "Hello, Mits! I was wondering if you could get me some chocolate chip cookies to go?" he asked. "Of course, sir!" she said, bowing again. She disappeared hen reappeared a second later with a plate of the cookies, wrapped and aromatic. "Thank you," he told her, and she bowed once more before scurrying off.  
  
James placed a shrinking charm and a warmth charm on the cookies, before heading towards the seventh floor. Once he got there, he greeted Earane with the usual hello, and 'nienna.' As the portrait glowed blue, he was filled with the same sense of awe that he always felt when he saw this. Stepping into the living area, a wave of comfort washed over him. This was heaven. Lily and him in their own rooms, and the comfort of friends all around him. God, he was lucky.  
  
He found Lily lying on the couch fast asleep. ~Well, I guess she didn't do her patrol tonight,~ he thought with a chuckle. Getting down on his knees in front of her face, he pulled out and enlarged the plate of cookies and unwrapped them. Setting them aside, he gently shook Lily awake. "Lily, sweetheart, wake up," he whispered into her ear. "I have something for you." Murmuring groggily, her eyelids fluttered open. His breath caught in his throat. With her face so close to his, he could see that her eyes were the most amazing green. Every shade he'd ever known was there in little flecks. At the moment, those eyes were heavy with sleep.  
  
"James?" she questioned sleepily. "Is something wrong?" he chuckled, and took a deep breath trying to break the spell she had on him. "No, nothing's wrong. You fell asleep on the couch. I have something for you." Her eyes lit, and her nose started to register a certain smell. "You do? What is it?" He laughed at her eagerness. "Take a deep breath…" She grinned and jumped up. "Chocolate chip cookies!!" she shouted gleefully, and then she grabbed two. "James, you're the best," she said, before devouring one of them.  
  
Seeing her happiness made his heart swell. ~What's happening to me?~ he thought fleetingly, and then pushed it aside. All he wanted was to relax after being pushed for weeks on end. Sitting down beside her he picked up his own cookie. Biting into it, he moaned with exaggerated bliss. "Have you ever had anything better than this?" he asked her, not expecting an answer. "Yes," she said, making him look at her. The sad smile was back in place. "My grandmamma made the best chocolate chip cookies ever. They're one of the things I miss most." James sighed.  
  
"Lily, I went to the kitchens and brought these up here for you to see you smile with happiness, not sadness." He *hated* it when she was sad. "Please don't ruin it for me." He shot her the puppy-dog face, and she felt her knees melt. ~It's a damn good thing I'm sitting down,~ she thought. So she smiled, and it was a happy one. "Thank you, James. I really appreciate it. It's been a long time since I've had any of these." He grinned, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, we can make a habit of this, if you want to," he told her. She leaned against him, and he turned as she did. Lifting her legs up onto the couch, he positioned them so the she was lying against his chest. "I'd love to, James." He smiled.  
  
"You know you missed patrol, don't you?" he asked her. She jumped. "I *what*?" she yelled. "How could I miss patrol? I've got to stop-" James placed a hand over her mouth, cutting her off. "You were, once again, dead on your feet. You deserved a break. Besides, how would you have done anything worthwhile sleep walking?" Her lips moved against his hand as she tried to say something, and it sent tingles up and down his spine. The feel of his calloused, warm hand against her lips did the same thing to Lily.   
  
He let go of her, and placed his arm around her waist. "Just go to sleep. You've got chocolate in your belly, and friends all around you. Sleep, my little flower." She relaxed against him, the sound of his voice going husky soothing her. When she placed her head on his chest, she felt something hard beneath her head. "James, what's that?" she asked turning to face him.   
  
"What's what? This?" he said, pulling something from beneath his shirt. It was a gold lion with a ruby mane and eyes. Beautiful and strong, it seemed almost made for him. "Where did you get it?" she breathed. Something was pulling at the back of her head, an almost physical sensation, but she pushed it aside. "It's the amulet my mother gave me when I was born, before she died," he told her, his grey eyes darkening. "It's the only thing I've got from her." Lily reached out to touch it, and felt something click inside of her. She lay against James again, and closed her eyes. It had been a long week. . .  
  
~Vision~  
  
* A man, with dark hair and grey eyes, was rocking a child in his arms. Around his neck, an amulet glinted in the firelight. A woman, with eyes of such a deep blue it was almost navy, rocked in a willow rocking chair, knitting. The baby squealed as her father lifted her high above his head. "Godric, be careful!" the woman chastised gently, without much conviction. Her husband merely flashed her a grin and tossed the baby girl high once more…  
  
(Scene change)  
  
An older version of the same man was walking with a young lady, the grown version of the baby girl. "I have something for you, Leah," the man said. Reaching up, he pulled the amulet over his head and held it out to his daughter. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, and she held out her hand for it. Bringing it close to her face, Leah examined it. The ruby of the mane seemed to ripple in the sunlight, and the eyes seemed on fire. The delicately made body of the lion showed strength and courage. It pulsed in her fingers, giving off soothing warmth. "I made it, when we opened the school and before I met your mother. It's a symbol of our House, and I think it's appropriate that you should have it."   
  
She looked up at her father, who took the amulet from her fingers and gently turned her. When he placed it around her neck and the chain clasped, Leah felt a completeness flow through her. Never before had she felt so whole. "It's an heirloom," her father whispered, placing a loving kiss on his daughter's hair. Leah turned and threw her arms around her father's neck. "Thank you," she whispered. . . *  
  
From there, faces flew by, all with the same grey eyes, and al had the same amulet clasped about their necks. There was a pattern of gender: boy to girl to boy to girl, ect. Subtle changes occurred, like the style they dressed in, or the skin tone. Then. . .  
  
* A woman with dark hair was holding a newborn child in her arms. She was breathing heavily, and she was pale and sweaty. The machines that monitored her heart beeped weakly. The graphs on the screen showed that she wouldn't grace this world much longer.  
  
A man with messy, jet black hair and chocolate eyes knelt beside the hospital bed, gripping his wife's hand. A single tear ran down his cheek, for he knew he would lose her. She smiled at him, then at their son. "His name is James," she said softly. "And he's beautiful. Aidan, could you do me one last favor?" she asked, her voice falling to barely a breath. He kissed her hand, murmuring, "Of course, love. What is it?"   
  
She whispered, "Take my amulet, and give it James. Please, do it quickly. I want to see my son get something that has belonged to his family for generations." Aidan nodded, and did as he was asked. Lifting his son, he placed the lion around his neck. Baby James gurgled and grabbed the amulet in a tiny fist. Placing James back in his mother's arms, Aidan once again gripped Kara's hand. "My boys," she murmured. "I love you," she whispered, tracing a finger along her son's face, knowing she would never get to be with him as he grew up. Looking at her husband, Kara whispered, one last time, "I love you both," before the life in her fled.   
  
Kneeling beside the lifeless figure of his wife, Aidan Potter rocked his child and his grief, holding all three close to his heart. *  
  
~End Vision~  
  
Lily's eyes flew open. For a moment, confusion controlled her senses. Then, her mind cleared. The fire had burned low, and the cookies on the table had cooled. She and James were lying on the couch. James was still sleeping peacefully. Lily tried to untangle herself from James, but he merely muttered something unintelligible, and pulled her back against his chest.  
  
What was that vision all about? The first part didn't make any sense. The second part went by too fast for her to remember anything but snatches. However, from what she could remember, James had gotten the amulet from his mother, and it was the same amulet that. . . *Godric Gryffindor* had? No. Something must've gone wrong with that particular vision. James would have told her if he was the Heir of Gryffindor. Or maybe he wouldn't have. She didn't know. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on her current situation.  
  
Again, she tried to pull away from the couch, but the sleeping James was having none of it. "Stay," he murmured, securing her against him and burying his face in her hair. Sighing, Lily thought ~Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em,~ and relaxed. She'd never admit it to anyone but herself, but she liked this position. ~Face it, Lily,~ she told herself. ~You are totally crushed on him.~ Unfortunately, the other little voice in her head decided to speak up then. ~It's about time you realized that.~ it said. ~Now, what are you going to do about it?~ it asked eagerly. Huffing, Lily replied, ~Absolutely nothing! I value is friendship too much. If I told him I liked him like *that*, then he would run away screaming, and then where would I be?~ the little voice grumbled, but didn't say anything.   
  
Talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity, you know.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sunlight streaming through the high windows of the living area woke James the next morning. Something warm was in his arms, something breathing. When he opened his eyes, he saw curly red hair. His nose was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of it. ~Chamomile,~ he thought briefly, before he saw her face, and his breathing stopped.  
  
She was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Those words didn't begin to describe it. Perfect wasn't good enough either. Last night, her face had been in shadows from the firelight. Now, with the sun shining brightly, he could see even more. Her face was flawless. Porcelain-white skin, a small nose, long lashes, perfectly arched eyebrows. And her lips. . . her lips were amazing. Full, a soft shade of red, soft. For a fraction of a second, he wondered what it would feel to kiss her, to feel those lips against his. The flare of desire shocked him, and he worked to control it.  
  
"Lily," he whispered, not being able to help himself. "What you do to me. . .," her eyelids moved, and she whimpered in her sleep. He lifted a hand, and cupped her cheek, trying to show her without words that he was there for her. She leaned into him, and the flare of desire became a flame. With a huge amount of will power, and began to shake her awake. When she finally opened her eyes, it was like time froze. There eyes met, grey to green, and held. He unconsciously leaned in. . .  
  
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHA!! I know, I'm evil. After a month of no updates, I leave you at a cliffie. I'm sorry! My teachers are evil. Please be patient. I don't know how often I'll be able to update. I'm doing my best. I would like to thank all my reviewers. Especially Caitlin, Agloechen, and Ashley. They have bugged me endlessly to get this chapter out, so here it is. I hope you like it.  
  
Till next time! Oh, nd you'll have to forgive me for any mistakes. If I had edited it carefully, it wouldn't have gotten out till next weekend.  
  
Andufeniel 


	7. 7 The Day Before All Hallow's Eve

Chapter 7  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything J.K. Rowling owns. I own anything J.K. Rowling does not own.  
  
POP!! In front of the fireplace, hanging in mid-air, was Professor Dumbledore's head. Lily and James jumped [apart] at the sound, blushing profusely. James couldn't help but think ~Excellent timing Professor. My dream was about to come true!~ The professor was looking off into space, humming. The twinkle in his eye was up.  
  
  
  
"Professor, what. . . uh. . . can we help you?" James asked hesitantly. It's not everyday that your Headmaster's head hangs in front of your fireplace.   
  
"Your presence is needed in my office, if you don't mind. Bring everything you need for your classes with you, please." The two teens nodded, and Dumbledore smiled at them. With another pop, he disappeared.   
  
Silence hung thick in the living area, as James and Lily, both embarrassed and unsure, looked anywhere but at each other. Finally, James, not able to stand the silence and the tension any longer, looked at Lily, and smiled a little. "I guess we'd better get our stuff. We'll probably be late if we don't hurry."  
  
Lily smiled with relief, glad that he'd broken the silence and said something sensible. Not able to trust her voice, she simply nodded and moved to disentangle herself from James. When she reached the bottom of her staircase, she looked back at James, who was walking toward his own room. "James," she began, wanting to ask about what had happened. Instead, she said, "Thank you, for last night. I needed that." He smiled softly at her, and said. "I needed it too. Thank you," and went up to his room. Lily, confused and a little regretful, did the same.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When James and Lily reached Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster was sitting at his desk, and two other students, a boy and a girl, were sitting in the chairs in front of him. "Ah, Lily, James," Professor Dumbledore said as they entered. The two students in front of him turned, and neither James nor Lily recognized them.   
  
"These two are Gabriel and Alexandria O'Briar. They are transfer students from Durmstrang- their parents didn't approve of the teachings there." ~One point for them~ James thought, having bad memories of Durmstrang graduates. "As Hogwart's Head students, I'm asking you to escort them around for a day or two, to get them acquainted with our school." Lily and James nodded, and Dumbledore turned to Gabriel and Alexandria. "James and Lily are the best students in this school, and you can be assured that if you have any questions, you may ask them." They nodded, but both looked a little nervous.   
  
"Professor Dumbledore," Lily spoke up, "what House are they in?" Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "They have not been Sorted yet, and I thank you for reminding me, Lily." Gabriel and Alexandria looked confused. "Sorted, Professor?" Alexandria asked, in a voice soft as the wind. "It is painless, I promise," Dumbledore assured her. "James, if you don't mind, could you fetch our dear Sorting Hat from its shelf over there?"   
  
James obliged, and handed the Hat to Gabriel, who looked at it with confusion written on his face. "Just put it on, and the Hat will tell you where you belong. It's never wrong, you know," Lily said. Hesitating for a moment, Gabriel did as he was told. After a brief moment, the Hat announced, "Gryffindor!" though not as loud as usual. Gabriel took it off, and handed it to Alexandria, who did the same. "Gryffindor!" the Hat said clearly.   
  
"If we may ask, Professor, what is Gryffindor?" Alexandria said. "Hogwart's students are divided into four Houses. These Houses are where students stay there entire time at Hogwarts. The Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has it's own certain qualities. Gryffindor is known for its bravery; Hufflepuff for its loyalty; Ravenclaw for its cleverness; and Slytherin for its cunning," Dumbledore said. "Among other things. . .Slytherin, I mean," James spoke up.   
  
Dumbledore continued, "James and Lily are both in Gryffindor, but they do not stay in its Tower, because they are Head students. Gryffindor Tower will be your home from now until you graduate, unless something comes up to prevent that. Now, I believe that all of you are late for your classes, and have missed breakfast. I will inform your Professor of the reason, and you have permission to stop by the kitchens. I'm certain James knows where they are-," James grinned, not looking guilty at all. "Very well. Off you go then," Dumbledore finished, dismissing them.  
  
The four students left the room and descended the staircase, James and Lily in the lead. When they stood outside the stone gargoyle, no one said anything for a moment. It was Lily who broke the awkward silence. "Well," she said, "I suppose it would be a good idea to compare our schedules so that we know who goes where, so that we can help you guys." James grinned, and shook his head. "Lily, Lily, Lily. Always the practical one. But I guess you're right in this case."   
  
As Gabriel and Alexandria got out their schedules, James looked at his watch, and swore. When the other three looked at him in puzzlement, he said, "We've got Double Potions this morning. That means, no matter how hard we try, we wont be able to get out of it. At least, Lily and me have Double Potions. What about you two?" Alexandria studied her schedule, and nodded an affirmative. "Us, too. Is that bad?" she asked.   
  
"Yes, it's bad. Professor Kay, the Potions professor, *hates* Gryffindors. She's the Head of Slytherin," Lily said. "And, just so you know, Professor MacGonagall, the Tranfiguration professor, is the Head of Gryffindor; Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor, is the Head of Ravenclaw, and Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor, is the Head of Hufflepuff."  
  
  
  
James continued, "We have House ghosts, as well. Sir Nicholas DeMimsy Porpington (A/N: I'm not sure if I got that right or not), or Nearly Headless Nick, is the Gryffindor ghost. The Bloody Baron is Slytherin's, the Gray Lady is Ravenclaw's, and the Fat Friar is Hufflepuff's. And speaking of ghosts. . ." James pointed, and the new students turned. Gliding toward them were two ghosts. One was a bearded man with a ruffle collar about his neck, and the other was a pleasant looking man with an ample belly.   
  
"Hello, young Mr. Potter!" greeted Nick cheerfully. "Up to more mischief?" he asked. James grinned, and replied, "Nope, not at the moment. With Lily here, I couldn't be. It's Head Duties this time." James waved a hand to the boy and girl in front of him, and Nick and the Fat Friar smiled warmly. "New students, eh?" the Fat Friar commented. "Welcome to Hogwarts. What House, may I ask?" Alexandria spoke, for both of them, "Gryffindor." Nick's smile widened. "Well, that's good news! You'll like it."  
  
Alexandria opened her mouth, seeming hesitant to ask a question. Lily noticed, and said, "Go on, ask. None here will bite." She smiled. "Why are you called 'Nearly Headless Nick'?" Nick sighed. "It always comes to that," he said, and yanked on his ear. Both Gabriel and Alexandria gasped as Nick's head came to rest on his shoulder. "Well, now you know. And once again, welcome to Hogwarts." The two ghosts then swept off.  
  
"James, we really need to get going. Since you're the only one here who know where the kitchens are, lead the way," Lily said. James grinned, saying, "Right you are, Lils. Follow me." James strode down the corridor. When they reached the painting of the fruit bowl, James stopped. The new students stared at him curiously, and Lily watched patiently. James reached out and tickled the pear, which began to giggle before it turned into a doorknob. Following James, they stepped into the kitchens.  
  
James stumbled when a small body slammed into his legs. "Mr. Potter has come to see Mitsy, and so soon after last time, sir!" the house elf squealed. James laughed. "Actually, Mits, we missed breakfast, and were wondering if you could help us out. Seeing you is definitely a plus, though." Mitsy beamed, and scurried off to get the four students breakfast.   
  
They sat at a table, and four house elves came up and placed hot plates of bacon, eggs, toast and pumpkin juice in front of them. "Thanks, Mitsy," James said, and then looked at Gabriel and Alexandria. Both Lily and James studied them.   
  
Alexandria was a little taller than Lily. Her eyes were a deep, riveting blue, and her lashes were long. She had perfectly arched eyebrows. Her hair was a dark auburn, beautifully thick and long. Her figure was curvy and lithe. It was almost as if she was holding something back, for there was a wary vibe surrounding her.   
  
Gabe looked much like her. His eyes were the same blue, his hair the same auburn, only styled like any other guy would have it. He was tall and lean; definitely eye candy for the girls. Both had high cheekbones and a determined set to their jaws.   
  
"So. . .," James started. "How are we going to do this?"  
  
"Well, I guess we should start off with a nice, get-to-know-each-other conversation. What do you say?" Alex stated. Lily smiled. "That sounds good to me. Why don't you two start?" she said. Alexandria smiled, and nodded. She looked to Gabriel, who nodded. He hadn't said a word as of yet.  
  
"As Dumbledore said, I'm Alexandria O'Briar, and he's Gabriel O'Briar. We're fraternal twins," she said. "Interesting," Lily commented. Alexandria continued. "'Alexandria' and 'Gabriel' are a mouthful, so we prefer being called Alex and Gabe." James nodded, and then asked, "Well, that's great and all, but, Gabe, you haven't said anything since Lily and I first saw you."  
  
Gabe's smile was slow and lazy. His voice, when he spoke, was deep, musical, and almost hypnotizing. "As twins, Alex and I are closer than normal siblings. Despite that, we are as different as night and day. She's more outgoing than I am, and I prefer to stay out of people's way. So, she talks for the both of us."   
  
Lily thought, ~He must be really good at it. From the way he looks, he's going to have his own fan club by the end of the week.~ Out loud, she said, "Well, I suppose that's enough for right now. Do you want James and I to tell you a little about us?" The twins nodded.  
  
"James, you go first," Lily said. "What can I tell you about me. . .," James started. Lily rolled her eyes, and grinned in spite of herself. "Well, I'm a good student. I'm top of the class in Transfiguration-it's the only class that Lily's not the top of. I'm captain of the Quidditch team, and I play Chaser. How I got to be Head Boy is beyond me; I'm not a goody-goody. But, here I am," James finished.  
  
Lily started, "I'm a muggle-born witch, and I'm not popular at all. I don't do any extra curricular activities. I don't have time anyway. I don't have many friends, but the ones I do have mean the world to me. James here is my best friend. I've only been friends with him since the beginning of this year, so I'll let you do the math. If you guys are looking to make a bunch of friends, don't come to me." Lily looked down at her almost empty plate, ashamed that she had so little of importance to tell them.  
  
James said, "She's also the strongest, wisest, smartest, and most compassionate person I know. Not to mention she sings like an angel." Lily blushed, and looked away. Gabe spoke up, saying, "Alex and I don't make friends easily. It's become. . .very hard for us to trust anyone." Both Lily and James looked at them curiously, but didn't ask. Everyone has his or her secrets.   
  
James glanced at his watch again, and said, "Well, I guess we'd better get going. Do you guys have your things?" Alex and Gabe nodded. "Then lets go," Lily said. "Potions. Oh boy."   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When the four reached the dungeons, Professor Kay sneered, and said, "An hour late, are we? You four are lucky the Headmaster informed me; else all of you would be facing a week of detentions. And we don't want that, do we, on our first day?" Gabe and Alex glared, taking an immediate disliking to the woman. "Sit back here with us," James muttered. A little more loudly, he said, "The best thing you can do is just ignore her." Kay's nostrils flared. "Ten points from Gryffindor," she spat, and swept to the front of the room.  
  
There were no other chairs at the back, so Lily conjured two extra ones. Sirius hissed, "Where have you been all morning?" to his friend. Peter and Remus looked equally curious. "I'll tell you at lunch," James replied. "For now, Sirius, this is Alexandria O'Briar, and her twin, Gabriel O'Briar. Better known as Alex and Gabe. You two," here James pointed to each of his friends as he introduced them. "This is Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Together, we are known as the Marauders." Alex looked curious, and Gabe raised his eyebrows. "Marauders?" Alex asked.  
  
"They're the school pranksters," Lily said. "Their mission: to utterly humiliate and degrade any Slytherin who deserves it; namely, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy." Sirius grinned. "Well said, Lily dearest, well said!"   
  
Kay snapped, "If you seven are finished, maybe you could join us and complete this potion. And another 15 points from your House for interrupting my class!" They glared, but did as they were told. "I don't like her," the twins said in unison. "Then you must be a true Gryffindor," Remus said. "And, welcome to Hogwarts."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
At lunch, they sat at the usual place for the Marauders, with the addition of Alex and Gabe. "So," Sirius asked, "What brings you two here during your seventh year? It's kind of unusual, don't you think?" Alex answered, saying, "Something happened at Durmstrang." That's all she gave. Sirius raised a questioning eyebrow at her vague answer, but didn't push it.  
  
Everyone was examining the twins, and most of the girls were finding excuses to walk by their table in order to wave and giggle flirtatiously at Gabe. Guys were openly staring at Alex, who was fidgeting nervously. Gabe was glaring at both sexes, especially the guys who were checking his sister out. "Do people at Hogwarts always stare so?" Alex asked. "Only when the person they're staring at is extremely easy on the eyes." This was Sirius, who was studying the two curiously, wondering why she was so nervous. "Don't worry, they'll ease up once they're used to you."  
  
Lily asked, "I have Ancient Runes next, so James and I will separate. Where do you guys go next?" Grateful for the change of subject, Alex and Gabe pulled out their schedules. "I have Ancient Runes next," Alex said. "I have Divination," was Gabe's answer. They looked at each other, not liking the idea of being separated. "So, Gabe will go with us, and Alex will go with Lils," James said. "What do you two have after Ancient Runes?" he asked. Alex said, "I've got Charms, then Herbology." Her brother said, "I've got Muggle Studies and Arithmancy." James nodded. "Then Gabe will stay with us till dinner, and Alex with Lily."  
  
"Prongs," Sirius said. "Your escorting these two around is great, but you will be there tonight, wont you?" James looked at him like he was crazy. "Of course I will Padfoot. I wouldn't desert Moony when he needs me for anyone. I'll be in the dorm as soon as I can manage it tonight." Tonight was the full moon. Remus hadn't said anything; it took too much effort. His skin was sickly pale, and his eyes looked sunken. James grasped his friend's shoulder in a silent exchange. Remus smiled up at him, once again thankful for their support.   
  
"We should get going," Lily said. She didn't like Remus' look, but knew he wouldn't tell her anything. She'd noticed he was sick often, almost regularly, and whenever she said anything about it, he would change the subject. As they all stood up, she pulled James back a minute. "What's wrong with Remus?" she asked worriedly. James hesitated, not wanting to lie to her. "Lily. . . I can't say. Remus will tell you when he's ready." Lily nodded, understanding. "Ok. Just let him know I'm here for him if he needs me." James smiled. "Let's go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
After Ancient Runes, Lily told Alex to wait for her outside the classroom. "I need to ask the Professor something." When Alex did so, Lily walked up to Professor Kena. "Professor Kena," she started. "Call me Evelien outside the classroom, Lily," the elf interrupted. Lily smiled. "Evelien, I have a question. I haven't had much time to study that book you gave me; I've been really busy. Last night though, I had a vision. It didn't make sense, because what it was telling me seems impossible. Could it have been a mistake?"   
  
Evelien looked thoughtful. "Often, my visions are wrong. However, there is a difference. You are Calaelen; I am Melwasul. Your visions are of the past, mine of the future. Visions of the future are always subject to change, because what happens in the future depends on the choices people make. However, the past has already happened, so nothing can change it. Therefore, a vision of yours could not be mistaken." After a moment of silence, she said, "There is also the small-very small- chance that it was a mere dream, not a vision."   
  
Lily sighed. "I guess the only way I can figure anything out is to find some time to study." She smiled grimly. "It's times like this I feel alone." Evelien touched Lily's cheek. "You have James," she reminded the girl softly. Lily smiled, "Yeah, I do," she said. "Well, I guess I'd better get to my next class. Thank you, Evelien." Evelien smiled, and nodded, watching Lily walk out.  
  
"-I could take points from your House, for simply standing around." Lily knew that voice. Her face hardened. As she stepped out into the hall, she saw Alex backed up against the wall, with Lucius Malfoy standing in front of her menacingly. "And I could report you and have your badge taken from you, Malfoy," Lily spat. "As Head Girl, I have more authority than you. And I'm telling you now; you just cost your House twenty points. If you don't get to class, *now*, I will take off more." Lucius glared at Lily, before he turned and swept off to his class.  
  
"Bloody Slytherin git," Lily muttered under her breath. Facing Alex, she asked, "Are you ok? You don't look so good." She didn't. Her skin was pale and sweaty; her eyes wide open with fright. Lily, concerned, wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Lucius is an ass, and the next time he says something to you, hex him. Neither James nor I will take points from you." Alex was trembling. "What else did he say to you?" Lily asked, fearing the worst. "Alex, tell me. I can help."   
  
Alex took a deep breath, and said, "It was nothing. I just. . .it was nothing." Lily didn't believe her, but wasn't going to force her to tell her. "Well, if you need to talk to someone, I'm here." Alex nodded, relaxing a bit. "We've got Charms next. That's my favorite class. You'll like Professor Flitwick," Lily said. Alex smiled. It was a weak one, but a smile nonetheless. "Then let's go. We won't see the guys till dinner, will we?" she asked. Lily shook her head. "If we've got Charms and Herbology next, and they've got Muggle Studies and Arithmancy, we won't even pass each other in the halls."  
  
Alex sighed. "Oh, well. Guess we'll have to get used to it." Lily thought, ~She and her brother must be *really* close.~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
With the guys  
  
They had all pretty much slept through Divination. As usual. When they were walking towards Muggle Studies, Gabe suddenly tensed. James sensed the sudden change in emotion and asked, "What's wrong?" Gabe muttered through clenched teeth, worry written across his face, "Something's wrong with Alex." After a tense moment or two, he relaxed, barely, and breathed a sigh of relief. James wanted to ask how he knew his twins emotions, but it was obvious the two were close.   
  
They passed a group of Hufflepuffs, who blushed and giggled. "Hey James," one said. He ignored her. "Hey, Sirius," another one called. Sirius shot a grin over his shoulder as his friends rolled his eyes. Marcy Danahope was ahead of them. "Hey Gabriel," she murmured seductively. He glared at her. Her sultry smile faltered at his hostility.   
  
"Whoa, man, what's with the glare?" Sirius asked. "I dislike people who try to get to me because of my looks," Gabriel answered. "But she's hot," Sirius said slowly, as if he were talking to a child. "She's a slut," Gabe said frankly. "I second that," Remus commented weakly. James clapped Gabe on the shoulder. "Ignore Sirius. He's known around the school for his relationships with the girls, but he's a nice guy all the same."  
  
"James used to be the same way, but he hasn't had a girlfriend in, like, a month or two," Peter commented absently. Sirius threw in his two cents, saying, "That was around the time you met our dearest Lily, wasn't it, Prongs?" James glared at his best friend. "Shut *up*, Padfoot. You know there is nothing going on." Sirius just laughed.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When they were finally dismissed for dinner, Gabe couldn't seem to get to the Great Hall fast enough. His sister's sudden fear earlier had been nagging him all day. When he finally saw her, he rushed to her. Framing her face with his palms, searching her eyes, eyes that mirrored his own, for any sign of what made her so scared. "What happened?" he asked. She shook her head. "Some guy named Lucius Malfoy was. . . threatening me while Lily was talking to Professor Kena. I overreacted; it was nothing." Gabe pulled her into a comforting hug, saying, "It wasn't nothing, and you know it."   
  
James came up behind Lily, asking her the same question. "Malfoy," was all the explanation he needed. "I hate him, you know," she commented. James smiled. "So do I, Lils."  
  
"Guys, I think I'm going to go upstairs and lay down for a while," Remus said quietly. "Do you want one of us to go with you, Moony?" James asked. Remus shook his head. "No, you go on. I'll be fine." Looking after their friends retreating back, Sirius, James, and Peter once more thought of how much Remus didn't deserve this. "How long?" Peter asked, so only the other two would hear. "We've got four hours," Sirius answered, just as quietly.  
  
After dinner, Gabe and Alex followed James, Lily, Sirius, and Peter up to the Gryffindor Tower. "Dancing faeries," Sirius told the Fat Lady, and she swung open. "Welcome to our home," Sirius said proudly, sweeping an arm wide to encompass the Common Room. "Alex, you'll be staying in the girls dormitories. Gabe, you'll be staying with us."  
  
"Alex, come with me. I'll show you to your room now. I don't like to stay here any longer than I have to," Lily said. She was nervous about having to face the other girls again. Walking up the steps slowly, with Alex in tow, she told herself, ~They might not even be there. It's early yet.~ When she reached the seventh year girls dormitories, she turned to Alex. "This is the Seventh Years' dorm. You'll probably be sleeping in my bed," Lily said.   
  
Opening the door, Lily braced herself. Yep, Marcy Danahope and her little group of followers were there, gossiping. Lily led Alex in, toward the empty bed. "This one is yours. The bathroom is across the hall. All your stuff is here, so you don't have to worry about that. Any questions?" Alex nodded. "Why don't you like it here?" she asked. Lily winced as the other girls sniggered behind them. "You'll find out soon enough, I suppose," she said. "Now, I've got to go back to my own room." Alex interrupted her. "I'll go down with you, at least," she said. Lily nodded, forcing back tears as she heard someone mutter, "The little slut. Can't she see James doesn't want anything to do with *her*? She's a freak."   
  
When they were safely downstairs, the guys were already back down, sitting in armchairs in front of the fire. Lily didn't stop walking; she had to get out of here, and she didn't want them to see her cry. They would think her weak.   
  
"Lily?" James called after her. "Lily, wait up!" She continued walking. "What happened?" James asked Alex. "Some girl was teasing her, I think," Alex answered. "Damn it," James swore. "I'll meet you guys here at ten," he said, before hurrying after Lily. As he swept off, his friends looked at each other. "Suuure," Sirius said. "Nothing's going on."  
  
"Will she be ok?" Gabe asked. "I hope so," Alex said under her breath. She liked Lily. She was nice, smart, helpful, and didn't judge. Sirius said, "Lily is different from other girls. She doesn't giggle or blush when James shows up, and she's smart. Her hair isn't bleach blonde, and her face isn't coated in make-up." He sighed. "So, the other girls tease her about it. Shame, really. She's a great girl."  
  
"James and her seem to be very close," was Gabe's quiet comment. Sirius said, "Yeah. It almost makes me jealous, the bond they have. None of us even know how they met; he just woke up one morning, and was eating breakfast with her when we got in. It's weird."   
  
"Does she have *any* girl- friends?" Alex asked. After a moment of thought, Sirius answered, "No." Alex frowned. Her instincts told her that Marcy and her group were not the nicest people to be around. The way they treated the girl who had helped her get through the first day at a new school confirmed it. As a girl, Alex had always wanted a friend. At Durmstrang, the rule was 'each to his own'. And then, there was that night. . . Alex shook her head, determined not to think about *that*. Here, at Hogwarts, she had a chance to start over. And Alex wanted to be Lily's friend.   
  
Gabe sensed his sister's thoughts. "I agree with you completely, sis. She is a nice girl," he said. He took her hand in his. "But, from what I've seen and heard, it will be as hard for her to trust you as it will be for you to trust her. Be careful." Alex smiled, and hugged her brother. "Gabe, dear, it wouldn't hurt for you to open up a bit, either. I love you more than life itself, and I understand that it's in your nature to push people away, but you don't have to push *everyone* away." She looked around at the guys who were looking at them strangely. "We've always had each other," she said softly. "And we always will, but I'm a girl, and I think you need a guys companionship," she finished. Gabe sighed, knowing she was right. "We're growing up," he whispered in her ear as he held her tight, afraid of losing her. "Yes," she whispered back. "But change isn't always bad."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
As soon as Lily was out of the portrait hole, she took off running. ~Why?~ she thought. ~Why can't I be normal? I'll never have anyone to love me; I'm too strange. And James will see that soon enough; he'll leave me because I'm a freak.~ Petunia's voice entered her thoughts. ~He'll be better off when he does.~ she thought, still running.   
  
"Lily! Lily, stop!" James called. As much as she didn't like it, Lily wasn't anywhere near as physically fit as James was. She was also hysterical. So, James easily caught up with her. He grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Lily, what happened? What's wrong?" She looked up at him, and all of a sudden burst into tears. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her, and she didn't have the energy left. "James, let me go," she managed between sobs. "You don't want anything to do with me! Please, just let me go!"  
  
James forced her to look at him. "All right, Lily, take a deep breath." She did. "Now, tell me where this idea that I don't want anything to do with you came from." Lily collapsed onto the stone floor, trying to push away from him. "Oh, no you don't, Lily Evans," he said. "You're not going anywhere, not until you tell me what's gotten into you!" He knelt next to her trembling form, feeling an overwhelming, shocking urge to protect, hold, and comfort.  
  
"She said that I was a slut, and that you wouldn't want anything to do with me. She. . . she said that you'd see what a freak I was, and then leave me," Lily was mumbling frantically. "And she's right. How can she not be, after six years of reminding me constantly how abnormal I was, and now I find out I'm a Calaelen, which makes me even *more* abnormal! Not to mention I'm ugly as sin. Why would anyone want to come within 20 feet of me?!"  
  
~Ok, James, take a deep breath. Violence is *not* the way to solve things,~ James told himself as pictures of a bloody Marcy Danahope flitted through his mind. He sighed. "Lily," he said, pulling her against his chest. She stiffened. "Everything you've ever heard from Marcy Danahope's mouth has been a lie. You are an amazing person. You're *not* a freak; don't you ever think it. Your gift makes you special; not weird or abnormal." James recalled Lily saying Marcy had told her she was ugly. His blood boiled. "And if anyone ever tells you you're ugly, they must be blind, because you are beautiful." Lily's frame froze in shock.  
  
"You. . . you think I'm beautiful?" she asked hesitantly. James placed a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "No. I *know* you're beautiful. I've known ever since I saw you that night in the Astronomy Tower, looking up at the stars." He smiled. "I remember the first thing that came to my mind. I thought you looked like a fallen angel. Now I'm convinced of it."   
  
Needless to say, Lily was confused. "You're lying. I've been on this Earth for 17 years, and no one has ever told I'm beautiful, or even pretty. They always tell me I'm ugly. My hair is too red, my eyes too green, stuff like that," she told him. He was staring at her. "Well then. Let me look at you, Lillian Evans, from a completely objective point of view," he said, pulling her to her feet. His gaze was intense as he studied her face, and a blush stained her cheeks.   
  
"Nope, I can't see anything but beauty here. Do want me to start a list?" he asked her, in all seriousness. Lily shook her head frantically, not wanting to make a fool of herself. "James. . .," she said, not knowing what to do. "Shhhhhhh," he said, placing a finger on her lips. "You are one of my best friends, Lily, and the closest I've ever been to a girl. You're. . . different. I value that. And if Marcy or anyone else says anything to you, tell me, because I *hate* it when you're upset."  
  
James looked at her, just looked at her, in the silence that followed. Her skin, which was pale by day, glowed in the moonlight that fell through the open window above them. Her hair was shining, and her eyes were moist, confused, and beautiful. Full red lips, long, wet lashes, and a dusting of freckles across her nose. Her body was curvaceous and small. In the cool hallway, her sent floated towards him, smelling of chamomile and cleanliness. The desire to kiss her was strong, but he suppressed it, feeling a person like him was not worthy of her.  
  
Lily studied James as intently as he studied her. His hair was as messy as ever, and a lock of it had fallen across his forehead. His wire-frame glasses did little to hide the stunning grey of his eyes. Smoky and outlined in black, they reminded her of storm clouds. His mouth was perfect, as was the rest of his face. His body was tall and muscular, from years of Quidditch. He smelled of after-shave and mint. ~Do all guys have the same effect on girls?~ Lily thought vaguely, wondering why she felt warm all of a sudden.   
  
"Come on Lils," he said. "It's time for you to go to bed." They started off down the hall. James reached for her hand, and laced his fingers through hers. When they reached their rooms, Earane looked at them knowingly. As the portrait melted away, the Lady looked at them and smiled.   
  
James went with her up to her room, and waited outside the bathroom while she changed. Forcing himself not to openly stare as she stepped out in pajama pants and a fitting top, he pulled the covers back. She crawled under, and he tucked the blankets around her chin.   
  
"James?" she asked quietly. "Hmmm?" he replied, brushing a stray lock of curly hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind her ear. "Will you leave me?" she asked. Fear of being alone was evident in her eyes. "Lily, look at me. *I will not leave you.* You mean too much to me," he said firmly and sincerely.  
  
She smiled, satisfied. "Thank you."  
  
He stayed with her until he was sure she was asleep. As he slipped out of her room, and started toward the Tower where his other friend needed him, he came to a realization that stopped him in his tracks.  
  
He was falling for Lily Evans.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ok people. It's done. 12 ½ pages on word. This is the longest chapter I've written yet. I apologize that it took so long. I'll have the next one out as soon as possible. I could probably start on it now, if it weren't for the fact that I'm tired. Thanx to all my reviewers; don't stop now!  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Andufeniel 


	8. 8 Prelude to Pain

Chapter 8  
  
A/N: I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry. It's been what, three months?? I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.  
  
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The weeks passed uneventfully. After the Halloween Feast, which passed smoothly and was enjoyed by all (though you'd never get the Slytherins to admit it), November fell on them with cold, icy winds. However, this did not stop James from working his team till they honestly thought they'd never be able to move again.   
  
Lily had finally requested time off to study Vivian's book from Dumbledore. He granted her permission, and she spent hours pouring over the thick volume up in her room. She had wheedled and begged James to show her where the kitchens were again, so that she could memorize the way. Ok, so maybe she'd only gotten through half of her request before he'd dragged her off pointing out 'landmarks', as he called them, so she wouldn't get lost.   
  
Now, she was upstairs studying, and trying to resist the urge to run down to the kitchens. ~You're getting fat, Lily, ~ she told herself firmly. ~You've got to stop eating so much. ~ Sighing, she focused on Vivian's work.   
  
* Calaelens' visions are often brought on when the receiver of the vision or his/her friends need the information given in the vision. These are usually the dream visions. Often, when the Calaelen is getting ready for sleep, or has had a taxing day, he/she will all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, become extremely exhausted. This signals a vision, but it will only come when the Calaelen is asleep. Important visions may occur if the need is great enough while the Calaelen is awake. Visions often occur during the day or while the Calaelen is awake, but more often the vision is unimportant. *   
  
Lily sat back, thinking. ~That does make sense, ~ she thought. ~Almost all of the visions I have during the day are about someone, like the one with MacGonagall. That one wasn't important. ~ Though this did make sense, it still didn't explain what her dream visions were about. She hadn't had one in a while, but they still haunted her.   
  
* Dream visions often mean that someone needs to know something from the past, yet it isn't recorded, nor does anyone know about it. Often the Calaelen won't know what he/she is dreaming about, and must infer. *  
  
~Well, damn, ~ Lily thought. ~That doesn't help me any. ~  
  
* A Calaelen doesn't immediately, once he or she is born, begin to have visions. In fact, the Gift lies dormant-*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"All right, team, excellent practice!" James yelled over the biting wind. "We'll be kicking Ravenclaw's arse next week! Now, go change!" The Gryffindor Qudditch team cheered as they ran to the showers.  
  
James was *cold*. He decided not to shower in the changing rooms. The thrill of having his own room and his own shower hadn't worn off yet, and he didn't want to be walking back to school with wet hair in this wind.   
  
He stepped into the drafty Entrance Hall and started towards the seventh floor. He ran into Filch, who scowled as James waved and grinned cheerfully. Reaching the portrait, he smiled at Earane. "Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," she said jovially. "Practice went well, I trust?" James' smile broadened into a grin as he said, "I love my team. I love Quidditch. I love my shower even more." They laughed together as James gave her the password.   
  
After the portrait had closed up behind him, James heard nothing. The silence was a comfortable one, though. Very homey. Sprinting up the stairs to his bathroom, James let thoughts of hot, steamy water flow through his mind.   
  
After his shower, he went downstairs. Looking around, he smiled. It was the kind of smile that had often graced his features in the past few weeks. Slow, lazy, and content, the smile softened his grey eyes. ~I wonder where Lily is?" he thought to himself. Then he remembered. She had finally asked for time to study Vivian's book, and was probably in her room.   
  
James looked toward the fireplace, remembering that almost-kiss. His lips tingled at the memory, wanting to feel hers under them. Pushing his longing aside, he looked towards the stairs that led to Lily's room. He smiled again as an idea formed in his head. ~Sometimes, that girl just works herself too hard, ~ he though affectionately as he stepped out of the 'Head's Headquarters.'  
  
When he reached the kitchens, James ran into Remus, Sirius, and Gabe going to the kitchens as well. "Hey guys," he called, running up to them. "Hey, Prongs," Sirius and Remus answered. Gabe just smiled and nodded a greeting.   
  
"What's up, man?" Remus asked him. Sirius reached out to tickle the pear, and the four stepped into the kitchens. "Nothing, really. I'm about to rip Lily from her studying. She's working too hard," James said. The three other boys gaped at him. "What is she studying for?" Sirius asked, his voice ripe with incredulity. Gabe finished with, "We don't have any tests for another week or so." James just shrugged and said, "You know Lily."   
  
"What can we do for you, sirs?" a house elf asked politely. Mitsy came up to James and asked the same question. "Anything cartable and sweet," Sirius answered immediately. James knelt so that he could look Mitsy in the eye. "Does Lily come down here often?" he asked. Mitsy nodded eagerly. "She does, Mr. Potter, Miss Lily does," she said excitedly. James smiled and asked, "What does she like, do you know?" Mitsy's grin was quick and contagious and she answered immediately. "Chocolate," she stated firmly. James laughed. ~I should have guessed that, ~ he told himself. "Then could you get me chocolate?" he asked, his grey eyes sparkling. "Of course, Mr. Potter, sir!" Mitsy cried enthusiastically, scampering off to fill his request.   
  
James laughed, standing. Remus, Sirius, and Gabe were all looking at him. Sirius raised an elegant eyebrow, the corner of his lips quirking upward. James gave him a questioning look in return. Remus opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted as 6 or 7 house elves came up offering food. Mitsy came individually, carrying a basket of wrapped sweets all containing chocolate of some form. She beckoned him to come down to her level. "I put some Butterbeer in the basket," she whispered in his ear. "I thought sir and Miss Lily would enjoy it. Don't tell the other sirs!" Mitsy giggled and gave him the basket as he grinned. "Thanks, Mits," he said, waving as he followed his friends out.   
  
"What did she tell you?" Gabe asked curiously. "Nothing important," James said, smiling. "Listen, I'll see you guys later. Tell Alex I said hey!" James waved as he ran off in the direction of his dormitory. Sirius and Remus sighed. "What's is it?" Gabe asked. Remus replied, "He's changed." Sirius added, "He must be growing up." Gabe smiled. "Maybe he's falling in love, and doesn't know it."   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
"Lily!" James yelled up the stairs. No answer. Shaking his head and smiling, he walked up the stairs to her room. The door was open, and through it he could see Lily stretched out on the bed, with a huge book lying open in front of her. Her softly curling red hair fell around her face, and James watched in fascination as a slender, pale hand reached up to push some of that glorious hair behind a small ear. Her emerald eyes were misted over in thought.   
  
For James, it was nothing short of a heavenly sight.  
  
Taking a deep breath and gathering control over his sudden and intense desire like a cloak, he knocked on her open door. Lily looked up sharply, startled. When she saw who was at her door, her face softened and she smiled. "James," she said, motioning for him to come inside. "You scared me. What's up?"  
  
James stepped inside and made his way over to where Lily was lying on her bed. He set the basket in his hands down on the floor as he sat beside her. Reaching, he pulled Vivian's book toward him. Looking it over, he frowned. "You can read this?" he asked her. She looked at him strangely. "Of course," she replied. "It's in perfect English." He stared at her. "Oooook, if you say so." He let it go, and placed the book on the floor beside the basket.   
  
"You study too much," he told her frankly. Lily shot him a look. "I don't study *this* enough," she replied. James shook his head. "Well, I brought you-us-something," he said, smiling at her and picking up the basket. Handing it to her, he grinned. "Mitsy says you like chocolate." Lily smiled sheepishly. "I eat too much," she said quietly, like indulging herself was a sin. "I'm getting fat." James rolled his eyes. "You don't eat enough," he stated firmly. "What is it with females and eating? Sirius and I eat like there's no tomorrow and we don't worry about gaining weight." Lily sighed. "It's different with guys than it is with girls," she murmured.   
  
"Lily," James said softly, recognizing an old, still-festering wound. "I've carried you before, twice. You don't weigh enough. I don't care what you think about your weight, you're *going* to eat, if only for my peace of mind." Pulling out a warm, soft chocolate chip cookie knowing it was her weakness, he gave it to her. "Eat." Lily laughed, giving in and taking the proffered sweet. Rummaging through the basket, James chose something for himself and pulled out the two bottles of Butterbeer. Tossing one to lily, he said, grinning, "Courtesy of Misty the House Elf, and the other three didn't get any."   
  
Lily laughed. She grabbed a pillow and stretched out on the bed. Looking up at James, she felt her heart race. ~He's so handsome, ~ she thought. The word sounded old, she knew, but it was true of James. Not only was he hot, but he was also kind, generous, and a total softie. Slytherins not included in this survey.  
  
"How did practice go?" she asked him, pushing the sudden flare of affection aside. He had a reputation as a ladies man, or he used to. He hadn't dated anyone since Kimberly. He flashed a grin. "Ravenclaw doesn't stand a chance," he told her. Lily laughed, knowing it was true. "I suppose that was a stupid question," she said. "Damn straight."   
  
James stretched out beside her. "So," he said conversationally. "Learn anything knew from Vivian's book?" he asked, looking at her. Once again, Lily wondered at his unquestioned acceptance of her abnormality. Shaking her head, she told him, "No, nothing important. Just that visions while I'm awake are usually unimportant, and the dream visions are important." James looked at her. "What do you mean, 'usually unimportant'?" he asked. "Just that," she replied. "If the need for a vision is great enough while I'm awake, I'll have an important one." Though she didn't see why she would *need* to have a vision of the past.  
  
They were quiet for a minute or two, and the silence was a comfortable one. Then James asked, "Have you had any other dream-visions lately?" Lily shook her head. "Good," James said. "And you know that if you have another one, you can come to me." Lily smiled at him, and a feeling of accomplishment filled his heart. ~I made her smile, ~ he thought giddily. "I know, James. Thank you." Hesitantly, Lily moved and put her head on his shoulder. James, in turn, slipped a strong arm around her waist, banishing any fear she had about him pushing her away. She tucked her head under his chin, and he placed a chaste kiss on her hair.   
  
The air was warm and smelled of chocolate. The two teens lying on the bed, in what they thought was a completely platonic position, were drifting off to sleep in each other's arms. Because they were oblivious to everything around them except each other, they didn't see the glow at the open door. The glow gave way to a woman, a woman with pale, scaly skin and white-blonde hair. She looked at the young girl and boy, and a smile formed on her delicate features. "Sleep well, my young ones," she whispered into the silence. "May your hearts never be empty." And then she faded.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Alex!" Lily called. "Wait up!" Alexandria stopped and turned around, her deep blue eyes searching the Hall. When she spotted a head of beautiful red hair, a smile broke out. "Hey Lils!" she called back, waving. Since she had come to Hogwarts, Alex had become a much happier person, and so had her brother. Alex and lily had become best friends, and both were tentatively exploring the idea of being able to trust another girl.   
  
Now, the two were on their way to their dorms. It was Friday, and the students had one class after lunch, and then the rest of the afternoon off. "So," Lily said conversationally. "Do you think the guys had fun in Divination?" she asked Alex. The auburn haired girl grinned, thinking of her twin's constant complaints about how boring Divination was. "Oh, I honestly don't know, Lily," she replied, smiling as she caught sight of the five boys walking towards them, with huge looks of relief on their faces. "But I'm almost certain we'll find their complaints entertaining." The girls laughed.  
  
"God, that woman can *not* be any slower," Sirius complained. " That room is *always* stifling, even in the winter," Remus added. His normally pale cheeks were flushed, proof of Trelawney's 'stifling room'. Peter mopped his sweating brow with the sleeve of his robe. Gabe nodded in agreement, standing by his sister and giving her a one-armed hug.  
  
James said nothing.  
  
"James?" Lily asked, touching his arm. "What's wrong?" He looked at her; his grey eyes troubled, and shook his head, shooting a glance at the others. She got the message and nodded. Taking another studying look at his face, she saw… *fear* in his eyes. It was well masked, but Lily knew what it looked like. She used to see it often in the mirror.   
  
"So," Lily said, letting it go-for now. "James, I think we need to call a prefect meeting to discuss ideas for the Christmas Ball." James nodded. "Transfiguration classroom at eight sound good?" he suggested. "Sure. I'll go spread the word. Would you take my stuff up to the dorm?" she asked him. He nodded again and shouldered her bag. "I'm going with Lily," Alex spoke up. "Gabe, would you take my stuff?" Her brother nodded, accepting her bag. The two girls walked away, heading for the dungeons. James heard Lily say, "Might as well get the worst over with."  
  
"I need to go put Lily's stuff up, and since you can't out Alex's stuff in her dorm, Gabe, we could put it in Lily's room." The guys laughed. Gabe had tried to go see his sister once, forgetting James' warning. It had resulted in a long, hearty laugh for Remus and Sirius. James hadn't been there (he'd been patrolling), but when he'd heard about it, he'd laughed breathing became difficult. "That might be a good idea," Gabe agreed. James laughed, saying, "All right, but I'll have to use a Confundus Charm on all of you once we get there. Can't have you knowing where I sleep." Remus and Sirius exchanged glances. "Why not?" they chorused. James replied, "You'll find out soon enough," and started toward the seventh floor. "James," Peter spoke up. "I've got to go to the Library. I'm failing Potions." James nodded. "All right Wormtail," he said. "We'll see you later." (A/N: KILL THE RAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, I'm better now.) Peter headed toward the Library, and Sirius, Remus, and Gabe fell in behind James.   
  
When they reached Earane, James stopped. 'All right, guys, I'm going to Confund you," he said, raising his wand. "Confundus," he muttered, watching his friends' eyes lose focus. He smiled at Earane, who was grinning. "Nienna," he said and she laughed as the portrait glowed blue.   
  
He stepped through the gaping hole in the wall and turned. Cocking his head in that adorable way of his that made Lily's knees weaken, James pondered how to best get his friends inside. Grinning, he thought, ~Oh, the joys of being lazy, ~ and waved his wand. The three boys lifted into the air and floated into the living area, where James let them drop.   
  
A round of 'hey!'s and 'ow's were heard. The spell was broken by the impact, and James stood grinning in the middle of the room. Smirking, he said, "Welcome home, boys." Running up the stairs to Lily's room, he placed the two bags on her bed. Looking around, he took a deep breath. The air smelled of chamomile, and something else distinctly Lily. He loved it. ~Geez, James, you're hooked, ~ he thought, only a little upset by the idea.  
  
Downstairs again, he found Remus, Sirius, and Gabe gaping at their surroundings. "Shut your mouths," James said, slapping Sirius' head. "You look like fish." The other three glared, but only for a moment. "James," Gabe said, "this is awesome." James sighed. "I know," he said. Secretly, he thought, ~As long as Lily is with me, I don't really care if I'm living in a cardboard box. ~ As soon as he thought it, he nearly groaned out loud, knowing it was true.  
  
"We should head back. I've got to inform Professor MacGonagall that we need to use her classroom tonight," James said. "I'll have to Confund you again, too." The other three sighed regretfully, both for having a second-best room and because of the charm. However, they followed James out without question, and endured the Confundus Charm once more.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"All right, people, you can leave now. Don't forget to post the announcement on your House bulletin boards about Hogsmeade," Lily said clearly. The scraping sound of chairs being pushed back and papers being placed in bags filled the classroom as the prefects left. James and Lily stayed behind to clean up- part of their deal with MacGonagall.   
  
The meeting had gone well. They had decided that the Christmas Ball was to be held the day before students went home for Christmas. Dress was formal, Muggle or Wizard clothing. 4th year and up could attend, and those under fourth year would attend a small celebration in their common room the same night. This rule was laid down by the Heads, who knew, though they didn't say anything, that someone would spike the punch *coughSiriuscough*. They had a month to get everything ready.   
  
James moved the last chair back into its proper place. He groaned, rolling his shoulders and stretching. "I wasn't made to sit in meetings for an hour," he complained. Lily rolled her eyes, too tired to say something back. Sighing, she lifted her bag, which at the moment seemed to weigh the equivalent of a ton of bricks, and headed for the door. James followed, slinging his own bag over his shoulder as he did so.  
  
As they walked side by side along the corridors, the bag Lily carried seemed to grow heavier, or her arm grew weaker, she couldn't tell which. James was lost in thought, remembering his Divination lesson, which he'd effectively pushed from his mind. ~What did it mean? ~ he thought, frowning as he walked up the last set of stairs. The sound of a quiet whimper, so quiet he almost didn't hear it, stopped him.   
  
Turning, he saw Lily still standing at the foot of the staircase. His frown deepened when he saw that her arms were shaking and the circles under her eyes, always there no matter how much sleep she had, had darkened.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, hurrying down to her. "It's so heavy," she whispered. "What's heavy, Lils?" he asked, running a gentle hand down her curls. "My bag," she answered, and James immediately took it from her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "James, what's wrong with me? I was fine earlier, and now I'm exhausted. My neck and my arms and my legs feel like jelly. I don't think I can get up the stairs."  
  
James slid the arm that was around her shoulders to her waist, and drew her arm around his neck, supporting her up the stairs. Ignoring the things her nearness did to his senses, he half-carried her all the way to their dormitory. Hurriedly, he gave Earane the password, and she let them in without question. As the portrait whole glowed blue, James felt Lily's head drop onto his shoulder. ~She really must be tired, ~ he thought, and then the glow disappeared and he stepped through.   
  
Dropping their bags on the floor, he looked at Lily to ask if she needed some help getting to bed. The one look answered his question, and he swung her up into his arms. Taking the stairs two at a time, he had a sudden sense of deja'vu. ~How many times have a done this? ~ he asked himself as he placed the now-asleep Lily on her bed. He pulled her shoes and socks off, and then gently tugged her robe off.   
  
James tucked her in securely, and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. He gave in to the sudden urge to run his hand through that beautiful hair of hers and did so. It felt like silk, soft and fine and warm. ~James, you are an idiot, ~ he told himself idly. ~You could have any other girl in the school; why did you have to pick the one so far above you you'll never have a chance? ~ Not that he minded the thought of being less. Not if it was Lily who was above him.   
  
Lily's sleep did not seem peaceful. Her mouth was set in a slight frown, and there was a troubled look on her face. "I'm so sorry, Lily," he said as he left her room, though he wasn't quite sure why he said it.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~Dream Sequence~  
  
"Today, class," a bundle of robes said from near the corner near the fire, "we will be reviewing crystal balls." The class groaned, sinking further into their poufy chairs around their tables. In the back, the four Marauders and Gabe rolled their eyes. "We've done this hundreds of times before," complained Sirius, dragging his sleeve across his sweating brow. "Not as if we've ever seen anything," Remus added. The mutterings quieted, as the Professor set their ball on the table. The boys leaned forward.   
  
"So, Remy," Sirius asked, "what do you see?" "I see…" Remus started, his voice huskier and full of 'mystery'. "I see. . .a wolf. . .and a dog, I think that is. . . and there's a huge white stag behind them. . .and over their, in the corner, I think. . .is that a *rat* I see?" Sirius, James, and Peter sniggered. "How original, Moony," Peter told him. "Hey!" Remus said indignantly, slapping Peter across the back of his head. "I never claimed to have an imagination."  
  
Gabe shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I won't even ask," he said. "What do you 'see', James?" James grinned, leaning forward to gaze into the swirling fog. "I see. . ." he started, and then trailed off, staring intently into the dewy depths of the ball.   
  
There was a house, a huge house with a lake in the backyard. James watched as someone with unruly black hair walked up the driveway into the house. After a minute or two of silence, people wearing black robes with hoods that hid their faces started to enter by breaking windows and doors. Screams filled with agony and defiance filled the air. A huge skull, green and smoky with a snake trailing out its mouth, formed above the building, which was now starting to burn.  
  
The foggy forms drifted apart, and another scene took its place. It was the front page of the Daily Prophet, and the headline made James' throat close. AIDAN POTTER FOUND DEAD IN FAMILY MANSION AFTER ATTCK! There was a picture of his father, smiling softly and brushing a lock of untidy hair out of his eyes beside the headline. The print was too small to read, but James didn't need anymore.   
  
The newspaper dissolved, and James could see nothing but the swirling white mist he usually saw. ~It must have been a dream, ~ he thought, thinking he had drifted off. ~But it was so clear. . .~ His heart contracted at the thought of losing his father, the only family he'd ever known. ~No! ~ he told himself firmly. ~I fell asleep. ~ However, the looks on the faces of his friends said differently. All four of them opened their mouths to ask questions, but then the bell rang, signaling the end of class. James turned away, both to avoid confrontation and to hide the fear he knew was plain in his eyes.   
  
~It can't be real, ~ he thought fearfully. He wanted to scream, find some release from the agonizing terror. At the same time, he wanted to cry, run away and find a hole to hide in until it was all over.   
  
~End Dream Sequence~  
  
In her bed, Lily tossed and turned, and a single silver tear slipped down her cheek.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
In another part of the castle, in her own room, Evelien Kara stood staring out her window. She blinked once, seemingly coming out of a trance.   
  
"Oh, James," she murmured, pressing a hand to the glass. Her heart ached for the child she knew would not be a child for much longer. "I'm so sorry," she said, and laid her forehead against the glass and wept. 


End file.
